I wouldn't be so quick to underestimate Cruz.
I know the majority here are all about the in your face alpha male who gives no fukks but, Cruz strikes me as the type that came out of the womb reading The 48 Laws of Power and The Prince.
Not a Cruz fan, but I respect his commitment to his gimmick.
Put yourself in his shoes, dude worked his ass off for W in 2000 but got offered some token position.
So what does he do? He goes into the lab and comes up with this almost religious preacher type gimmick that will appeal to the GOP base that the elites have largely ignored. The elites have ignored them but rely on them as a easy vote in the same ways Democrats do with blacks.
Cruz pulls off the gimmick so well you don't even realize the guy is Ivy League educated. His gimmick is both meant to appeal to supporters and troll his enemies. The overall goal is attention that creates power. He has accomplished this faster than just about any Senator in history. Look at the funding he gets from Jewish groups, oil, and religious conservatives. It's unreal.
Let's not act like before Trump came on the scene that Cruz was liked by the establishment. In fact he was Trump light. Cruz bigotry speaks in Code while Trump is no holding back. You can't question the mans skill in debates either. The pausing, posturing, and rapid response skills are the result of years of debate training. He won multiple debate competitions in his school days. Overall he is head and shoulders above Rubio, but Rubio rhetoric appeals to more "educated" Republicans.
That said, Trump is still gonna mop the floor with his head. Trump has re-written the game book and anyone that's looking to promote their own personal lives should take notice.