The information in the article says that the vast majority of Cruz voters had decided a month to a week before the caucus that they were going to vote for Cruz. Nothing that happened within a couple of hours of the vote influenced that.
The article is opinion. One example: diminishing Palin as a “sidekick”.
Was she a sidekick when she supported (to great effect) Cruz in his Senate run?
Cruz has his good points, but his naked ambition his a major negative.