The reality is that Rubio could go to second place behind Ted Cruz. Given the poor state of the Trump campaign’s ground operation, Cruz may very well come in first with Rubio second. If that happens, Marco Rubio, not Ted Cruz, will be heralded as the Trump slayer. Frankly, I fully expect a Cruz first place finish with a Rubio second place finish.

The bias for Rubio is intensifying as Republicans begin to gamble he is their best hope for stopping Trump and Cruz. That bias will generate far more stories than a Cruz victory.

To overcome this, Cruz is going to have to win big in Iowa. Cruz himself has already said that this may be the last place to stop Trump. Those words will be used against him if he comes in second to Trump and ignored if he comes in first. That is the reality the Cruz camp understands and it is one reason they have ads up all over Iowa attacking Rubio while the Cruz Super PACs continue relentlessly pounding Trump with Trump’s own words.