My top choice is Cruz, followed by Trump, and I like Dr. Carson too (fair disclosure - I have a long posting history in support of all three positions), but I don’t see any “sleaze” or “deception” in this. I’ve been at the Iowa Caucuses as recently as four years ago. What I saw was a lot of strong advocates for the various candidates, a lot of people who always go because they see it as a civic duty and listen with an open mind, and a lot of people who start out as advocates but change their minds after listening.
The key thing I saw four years ago was a lot of people using smart phones to check facts and sources on what they heard. If so many were checking everything four years ago, by yesterday, a Cruz statement would have been checked by almost every group that heard it. I don’t blame Cruz or his people if the information was out there from credible sources and they pointed it out. I’d assume the Trump and even Carson people were doing the same.
I’d be happy with any of those three as nominees. I don’t see the conduct of any of them at the Caucuses as a negative. This hurts Trump (slightly), but he’s likely to get a boost from New Hampshire next week. This helps Cruz slightly, but he has to do well in NH.
The Iowa results do the most good for Rubio - the heir apparent to the RINO-establishment mantle. If Rubio had the RINO Bush, Christie, and Kasich votes already, he would have placed first with 29.5%. I’m sure Christie will not drop out until after NH, his best hope, but conservative voters need to stick together or we’ll get the liar who led the Gang of Eight. That would be catastrophic for America.
IMHO, the Iowa results mirrored my impressions of the candidates in nearly the same order.
(Though Gilmore polled increased by nearly 10% to total 12 votes in the last few minutes of counting.)