If the internecine warfare between the two top populist candidates continues, the conservative majority of the Republican Party could once again be forced to live with a nominee chosen by the Establishment.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump placed first and second in Iowa. But if they don’t now combine forces and put aside their rancor, they may each find themselves losing the nomination to the third-place finisher, Establishment favorite Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

Entering New Hampshire, Cruz and Trump have to play it smart. Cruz must recognize that he needs Trump to win in the Granite State. If Rubio wins instead, he will gain so much momentum that he will be almost impossible to stop.

Iowa GOP caucus voters who said they are ‘very conservative’
Ted Cruz 44% Donald Trump 21% Marco Rubio 15% Ben Carson 9% Rand Paul 3% Mike Huckabee 3% Carly Fiorina 2% Rick Santorum 2% Chris Christie 1% Jeb Bush 1% John Kasich 0%