Carly Fiorina Slams Ben Carson Over Threat to Leave GOP

Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina didn’t mince words when asked about Dr. Ben Carson’s threat to leave the GOP if party leaders attempt to, in his words, steal the nomination away from the apparent winner of the primary and caucus race.

Fiorina was a guest on Hugh Hewitt’s nationally syndicated radio program Friday evening when she was asked about Carson’s comments. She said she refused to entertain the idea of leaving the party, “because I actually am a Republican.”

“But I don’t actually understand quite the point that Dr. Carson is making,” she said. “Nobody in the party determines whether or not there’s a brokered convention. The voters are going to determine whether there’s a brokered convention. I mean, if someone goes into the, if no one goes into the convention with enough votes to be declared the winner, then it is a brokered convention. So you could make the case that a brokered convention does reflect the will of the people. So I was a little confused by his statement, honestly.”

Hewitt then said he believes a brokered convention—one in which no one candidate has a majority of the delegates—is becoming more likely. He said he didn’t necessarily think that would be a bad situation, as it would prevent presumptive Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton from attacking a specific Republican until after the convention.

Fiorina agreed it might not be a bad situation for the GOP, but noted there are some candidates—herself included—who would fare better than others against Clinton in the General Election.

“I think it’s important to think through who is Hillary Clinton’s worst nightmare,” she said. “I think I’m the lump of coal in her stocking, and I think some of these candidates, Donald Trump in particular, are a big Christmas gift wrapped up under the tree for her.”

Fiorina placed seventh in the polling used by CNN and the Republican National Committee to determine the placement of candidates on the stage for Tuesday night’s fifth Republican candidate debate. The debate begins at 8:30 p.m. EST.