If they weren’t afraid of him, why the absolute onslaught to take him out? Nobody (except Trump) is trying to take out Cruz or Rubio?
As I said....when you are the "ruler" (GOPe)....how ticked off do you get if your "subjects"(Americans) refuse to bow down to their edict of Bush/Rubio? They are NOT afraid of Trump...they are pissed at the populace for liking him better.
The GOPe came out in FULL ATTACK MODE, against their REAL enemy, right before Iowa. When Cruz won.....they freaked out that their negative comments might have helped him win......so now, they "ignore him", like he isn't even running.
January 2016:
“I haven't seen any great desire on his (Cruz's) part to really bring the party along with him so that's something that worries me,” Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)
“Trump says things that drive you up the wall — he says he doesn’t like guys who get captured and that he’ll make Mexico pay for the wall — but he’s not mean. Cruz is mean,” said a senior Republican Senator who asked to remain anonymous.
Another GOP senator who requested anonymity said that while neither Cruz nor Trump would be ideal ticket toppers in states such as New Hampshire and Florida, it will be easier for vulnerable incumbents to distance themselves from Trump than from Cruz. "Trump’s not really seen as a Republican, while Cruz is much more identified with the party," the lawmaker said. "Trump would be better heading the ticket than Cruz."
"I think we'll lose if he's (Cruz) our nominee," said Orrin Hatch, the most senior Republican in the Senate.
On Cruz discussing the corruption in Washington: "It would be a major challenge (to support Cruz) because of the wounds that are deep," said Indiana Sen. Dan Coats...
"Ted Cruz has burned some bridges with some fellow senators," said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia. "You do see people coming out with more aggressive comments" ahead of Iowa.
"He would definitely be a negative," said GOP Rep. Pete King of New York, who represents an evenly divided Long Island district. King dismissed Cruz as a "fraud" and said, "I don't know of anyone else in Washington, certainly, who gets this opposition from his own people. ... I'm talking about people as conservative as he is who just can't stand him."
"Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, told supporters at a campaign fundraiser for his own re-election that he would vote for liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders for president before Cruz"
I think the GOPe are using Rubio/Trump to take Cruz out...then they hope Rubio can beat Trump.......but if not, they'll be kissing up to Trump in a heartbeat. I would say the final "evidence" of who they truly fear is McConnell's "joke?" about killing Cruz on the floor of the Senate.....and that no one would prosecute.