Cruz debating HRC would be interpreted by the left as a smart bully intimidating the nice lady. HRC supporters would not be converted or amused and would come out with daggers to the polls. So many of our little conservative voters too don’t like conflict of this kind: that’s why the GOP-e claims to “play nice” to Dems but would kill real conservatives if given the chance.
Remember too, they called out the liberal GOPer Rick Lazio in 2000 for “invading her space”. Hard to believe that was fifteen years ago now