“There is something happening across the globe right now that is making voters uneasy, and we’re not immune to that,” said Mitch Stewart, one of the architects of President Barack Obama’s two presidential victories.

“It’s largely driven by the economy,” Stewart said. “Whenever you go through an economic upheaval, you often find voters searching for answers, and sometimes they’re searching for answers in places they normally wouldn’t.”

Cruz’s victory will bring his campaign new attention and more money, but he is not seen as a major threat in New Hampshire, where establishment candidates usually have more appeal than in Iowa.

“Cruz’s victory gives them more hope,” Pete Wehner, a veteran of the past three Republican administrations, said about the party’s establishment. “This blocks Trump from running the table. There’s no concern about Cruz running the table.”