Words to describe a strategic choice that is also a lie?

I'm looking for a way to describe expressing an opinion that isn't true because there is a strategic motive.

For example: If I ask someone to name their least favorite 2016 GOP presidential candidate, and they say "Jeb Bush", even though there are others they like even less than him.

The reason they say "Jeb Bush" is because their favorite GOP candidate is Rand Paul, and they know that Jeb is a good competitor and might give Rand a tough time. Their least favorite candidate is actually Donald Trump, but they purposely don't pick him because they think he'll never win the primaries.

Basically he's strategically saying his least favorite candidate is Jeb Bush (even though it's not).

What is the best way to say this without having to provide a large example like the one I provided above?

Since you said 'words', I'm gonna answer with two.

It was a calculated lie.

A strategic lie also works.

A strategic lie is a lie told to advance one's agenda. _{(From the book 'The Nonverbal Factor')}

_{PS - I can't help but suggest: "It's all part of the plan".}

The label lie may be a bit strong considering the complex nature of human opinions. If two competing opinions vie for dominance in a persons mind, a person might be hedging:

2.1 [NO OBJECT] Avoid making a definite statement or commitment:
_ODO

He was obviously hedging his opinion in the matter, because expressing his raw opinion would have been counterproductive.

A ten-cent hedging is much more self-evident than the fifty-cent tergiversating, which may be more acurate:

verb

[NO OBJECT]
1.0 Make conflicting or evasive statements; equivocate:
the more she tergiversated, the greater grew the ardency of the reporters for an interview

2.0 Change one’s loyalties; abandon a belief or principle.
_ODO

I would say it was a contrived opinion or answer.

adjective
deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously.

(Google)

1. expedient (n) -- implies the choice of a course of action for its usefulness, regardless of whether it is honest or morally justified.

2. pretext (n) -- generally used to describe a falsely stated purpose.