“Our record on amnesty is clear and consistent and [Rubio’s] is not as clear and consistent,” Tyler said. “He was for the Gang of Eight bill, then he said he wasn’t. Then he said he was for a step-by-step approach.” He continued to list the litany of alleged flip-flops before concluding of Rubio, “He essentially has the same position as the president.”

Tyler stressed that the Cruz campaign would keep their “contrasts” strictly focused on policy issues, not mudslinging.

But when BuzzFeed News asked him what he thought of this week’s New York Times report that a pro-Jeb Bush super PAC was threatening to unload $20 million of attack ads on Rubio designed to “damage [his] reputation,” Tyler grinned.

“I don’t think it’s enough,” he said. “It should be 40 or 60 [million]. I would double or triple it instantly. Why be cheap?”