“He has a better chance of being the Democratic nominee for president than he would have beating John Cornyn. He wouldn’t have beaten Cornyn. Cornyn is not Cruz,” says Martin Frost, a former Democratic congressman who represented Fort Worth, Texas, for 26 years. “Even if he’s not the nominee, running for president doesn’t hurt his future.”…

His first treks to Iowa and New Hampshire will be judged against his extreme transparency around Texas. Does he livestream the entirety, with plans to visit every county, taking every last question, encouraging his critics to confront him? He swore off pollsters during his Senate run. Is that feasible in a national race? Is it even smart?

His policy positions on immigration and climate change will likely be vetted and buffed for town hall presentation, but has he thought about reparations for the descendants of slaves?

And his team’s initial fundraising estimate may well determine the exact day he enters the race. March 31 brings the end of the first fundraising quarter, when all existing candidates must file public reports of their cash flow for the first three months of the year. The documents will be pored over for winners and losers.