Responding to Ben Carson’s surge in Iowa, Donald Trump said Tuesday he’ll stick with the presidential race, even if he loses the luxury of running from atop the polls.

“I’m in it to the end,” Trump said in a phone interview with MSNBC. Asked if he could stomach running from behind, the billionaire businessman who likes to boast “I’m a winner” sounded unusually introspective. He conceded he might lose his bid for the Republican nomination.

“It’s certainly a possibility that I won’t make it,” he said. “I’ll still be proud of my effort because I think I’ve done very well. I’m not a politician; I’ve run so far a great race.” More on AP.