Ben Carson on Friday took a page from Donald Trump's playbook by threatening to depart the Republican Party.
Ahead of Tuesday's GOP presidential debate, the retired neurosurgeon slammed the party after reports emerged that Republican insiders were discussing the possibility of deal-making to decide the eventual nominee at the Republican National Convention.
"If the leaders of the Republican Party want to destroy the party, they should continue to hold meetings like the one described in the Washington Post this morning," Carson said in a statement.
"If this was the beginning of a plan to subvert the will of the voters and replace it with the will of the political elite, I assure you Donald Trump will not be the only one leaving the party."