Ben Carson discusses Republican nomination in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson was in San Francisco Tuesday to discuss why he believes he should win the Republican nomination.

Polls put him and Donald Trump as the top two candidates in the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire, according to Monmouth University and it's only Carson who beats Trump in a head-to-head match up.

ABC7 News' Dan Ashley was the MC at the Commonwealth Club and asked Carson whether he would be willing to run on the same ticket with Trump. "Anything is possible," said Carson. He also joked that Trump may at the very least help a President Carson negotiate a new deal with Iran. "Everybody should feel welcome in any part of our country," Carson said.

Carson explained why as a Republican Presidential candidate he brought his conservative campaign to liberal San Francisco.

He shared his views on immigration with a large group at the Commonwealth Club. "You can't even begin this debate without securing the borders and we have the ability to do that," he said.

Carson calls the Affordable Care Act flawed. "Our health and our health care is being put in the hands of the government. That's not America," he said.

Since the Republican debate last month, Carson has consistently ranked second in the polls behind Trump trying to get his message out.

On Wednesday, he told the crowd he's opposed to abortion on demand and was asked whether the U.S. Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade. "I would certainly be looking to appoint people who respected human life," he said.

GOP rival Mike Huckabee was in Kentucky with the Kentucky clerk jailed for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

Carson says this is the tip of the iceberg and blames the U.S. Congress for not anticipating the controversy. "They need to be creating appropriate laws to protect the First Amendment rights of all American citizens," he said.

Reaction to his appearance was mixed. "I believe he's very sincere and rather simplistic," one woman said.

"I think Dr. Carson is a breath of fresh air," one man said.

Carson says he's not a traditional politician and hopes that will continue to resonate with the voters.

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