Battling Trump, battling Rubio, and battling Washington are really tough odds for any person. The pundit class on television has been touting anybody but Cruz and has particularly fixated on Marco Rubio. The press has given Trump a near free ride in the press and amazing free air time while largely ignoring Cruz. On Monday night in Iowa, virtually every news network was more fixated on Marco Rubio’s loss than Cruz’s actual win.

To be sure, Cruz has a well stocked war chest and lots of funds from small dollar donors. He has Super PACs helping and outside groups doing door to door. Cruz has put together an impressive micro-targeting operation and built amazing ground games in a number of states, not just Iowa. But in state after state he is working against media interests, Republican interests, and Donald Trump to stop him.

Cruz does have one thing that can help him. If Rubio is not able to weather his own incoming fire in New Hampshire and the establishment wing of the party fails to rapidly consolidate, Rubio will struggle as mightily as Cruz. And the odds are, if the establishment wing fails to consolidate but Cruz gets more victories against Trump, Trump will cut his losses sooner than a bunch of egos convinced they are destined to be President by virtue of being a governor.