There is something to this view that Trump knew he wouldn’t win CO and allowed this to happen for PR purposes has some truth.
You can say the same thing about MT and SD. I think there are certain states Trump basically conceded. I DON’T think Oklahoma or Wisconsin were two of them, but many others? No, he hasn’t even made an effort there because the numbers don’t work out.
Whether he thought he would make a big PR splash (”cheatin’ Cruz”), well, who knows?
However, I DO think that this plays to Trump. There are many people who know the system is rigged, and by aligning with the rigged establishment, Cruz makes himself less popular.
“There is something to this view that Trump knew he wouldn’t win CO and allowed this to happen for PR purposes has some truth.”
I agree. Avoiding Colorado actually puts Trump back in the driver’s seat. He could well have anticipated the voter’s outrage at the results of the Colorado convention not allowing a popular vote. No question but that the voters were disenfranchised in this case. Plain as day. In this way, he’s bringing the argument against GOP caucus arrangements to a head. Building public opinion against delegate shenanigans. I see it as yet another step in dismantling the power grip of the GOP elite.
It also puts the lie to the criticism that he’s not smart enough to play the caucus game. Quite the contrary. He’s playing it like a Stradivarius.