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2016 Presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson’s loss appears to be Sen. Ted Cruz’s gain. Five paid staffers in New Hampshire that worked for Carson’s super PAC quit this past Sunday in order to “get behind a conservative who can win.”
Jerry Sickles, the spokesman for the departed staff, talked to WMUR.com in Manchester, N.H. to explain why he and his staff decided to make the jump to the Cruz camp.
“We hold Dr. Carson in the highest regard,” Sickles said. “This is a man we revere, but we think it is important that our party nominate a conservative and get behind a single conservative who can win, and we strongly believe that candidate is Ted Cruz.”
Sickles continued, "The Paris and the San Bernardino attacks changed everything. I believe Republicans are looking for a voice that is more emphatic and has dealt with issues of national security. We believe that Ted Cruz is a conservative Republican in the mold of Ronald Reagan and understands Reagan’s three-legged stool of social conservatism, economic conservatism and strength on national security.”
“We haven’t been fired,” Sickles concluded. “We just decided as a staff that this was the thing we should do at this point. It’s something we’ve been talking about among ourselves and we just decided that the timing is right to do this."
This pilgrimage comes on the heels of campaign manager Barry Bennett and communications director Doug Watts leaving the Carson campaign.
The move also comes as Carson takes a dip in the polls. Cruz remains second (14%) in the New Hampshire primary according to a new Monmouth University poll, while Carson has dropped to ninth (3%).