Recruitmment was evident from the start. Gomer's job as a "favorite son" is to keep Cruz from winning South Carolina. The Huckster's job is to take evangelical votes away from Cruz in Iowa. Sweater Vest's job is to keep yet more conservative votes from Cruz in Iowa, particularly. Rick Perry may be running on his own...but they're counting on him to split the Texas vote (which comes early this time around, on March 1, Super Tuesday)
The GOPe is attempting to kill the Cruz candidacy via "death from a thousand cuts".
South Carolina hates lindsey, and he knows it. He’s gotten re-elected through party machinations and manipulations. SC republicans would vote for trump just to spite LG.