If Trump can make Cruz look comparatively moderate, so that the establishment supports Cruz as a way of avoiding Trump,
Rubio is the GOPe answer to a conservative Cruz. He’s mostly laying low now and waiting for the debates. The beltway GOP will never support Cruz and instead use a fake “conservative” cut out like Rubio.
Makes sense. The low-information Republican voters will probably look at Rubio as "that nice Hispanic boy" and enjoy his pablum.