Ben Carson said Tuesday that individuals from the Republican Party have asked him about suspending his struggling presidential campaign.
“Dr. Carson, has anybody asked you to step out of the race, from the party, other candidates?” host Mika Brzezinski asked on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “And if so, who?”
{mosads}“But of course,” Carson replied. “I don’t think it’s useful to divulge that because they certainly would be unhappy if I did.”
“It is politics as usual in Washington, D.C.,” the retired neurosurgeon added. “It’s a slimy thing, and you know, the problem is everybody says it’s slimy, but why do we accept it?”
Party insiders say the only way to defeat Donald Trump in the GOP primary is a one-on-one matchup, but the remaining candidates have dug in against idea of suspending their White House bids.
Carson dismissed criticism that his campaign is not viable heading into Super Tuesday, with Republican voting contests in 11 states and American Samoa.
“Well, there’s always the possibility that people will awaken and recognize that just what they were asking for is what I have presented for them,” he said. “You know, someone who is honest. You know, they can’t find any scandals. All the lies that have been told have been debunked. You’re looking for somebody of accomplishment.”
The former doctor added his experiences across all walks of public and private life make him the candidate best suited for the Oval Office.
“I have had so many different kinds of jobs, it’s unimaginable,” Carson said. “Somebody who has gone from the bottom 1 percent to the top 1 percent understands all the socioeconomic levels of our society.
“If you look at all the things that people are asking for, they sit right there, but a lot of times it’s sitting under your nose and you don’t recognize it. Maybe they will begin to recognize it.”
Carson ranks fourth out of five Republican White House hopefuls, according to the latest RealClearPolitics average of polls. He trails Trump by nearly 27 percent heading into Super Tuesday.