“If Trump loses, I will never vote GOP again.”
That’s what the Cruz people are assuming.
Under their scenario, Trump loses badly. The Trump people leave the party in disgust and disappear leaving the Republican Party in wreckage.
Cruz is left to rebuild the ruins of the party in a more conservative image. If you hear any of his recent speeches, he says things like ‘dark days are ahead for us conservatives, and much hard work is ahead but we are up to the job.’
There won’t be a GOP left to win a national election.