He bolstered his reputation as a Tea Party rebel over the last two weeks by repeatedly meeting with House conservatives who forced GOP leaders to rework an emergency bill aimed at stopping unaccompanied minors from streaming across the Texas border.

Anti-establishment conservatives in Iowa are applauding Cruz’s role.

“Whenever we need a voice in Washington, he seems to be the most eager to stand up for we out here in the grassroots,” said Steve Deace, a conservative radio host based in Iowa. “The more people disdain him in D.C., the more they’re going to improve his chances in 2016.

“The anger and disenchantment with the GOP [establishment] within the conservative grassroots is even worse than I thought it was,” he added. “A lot of these people out here want to be for whoever Washington, D.C. is against.”