Oh, yeah. To know Cruz is NOT to love him. I thought I did know him before this election (and a year ago, he was my guy and I would have laughed if you had suggested I’d be for Donald Trump), but now that I know him even better, I don’t like what I see. At all.
You're absolutely right. I noticed a very interesting dynamic at the AIPAC conference. In the beginning the audience response was tepid, even when he made strong statements. But as the speech wore on, they seemed to warm to him and even gave him a few standing ovations. That happened in the debates a couple times, esp when the audience was packed with elites.
I think to know Donald is to love him, and most of the people who hate him really don't know him.