He wasn’t all in on money and structure. Cruz was.
Not criticizing Cruz for that he needed to be.
Is Cruz losing NH any better than Trump losing Iowa?
Trump was all in on Iowa. His strategy is no different in any other state. Fly in, let the kids walk through the plane and fly out. That was his strategy before this loss.
Yes.
Trump losing kills his brand.
Cruz isn’t expected to win in NH and never was.
If Cruz was leading in NH at this point and then lost, it would be comparable to Trump losing Iowa. As it is, if Cruz can get within 10 points of Trump in NH, it will be seen as a win for Cruz and a sign that Trump is losing momentum.
In both Iowa and NH, the number of delegates at stake are minimal - it is all about perception. Yesterday's vote creates the perception that Cruz and Rubio have momentum, and Trump is fading. Losing a significant portion of his lead in NH would reinforce that perception, even if he still wins the popular vote.