I’d say they’re probably watching and following Ted’s lead. There are quite a few internet ads out there and the superpacs have made plenty of those I assume.
There can be coordination between SuperPACs and the campaigns right up until the moment a candidate declares.
All of this stuff is well planned out at that point, with different scenarios gamed out and all sorts of contingency plans.
If all of Cruz’s SuperPACs are dark, there’s a reason for it and it’s by plan and intent.
The reporters who write stories like these KNOW that. What they’re doing is fishing for evidence of illegal coordination/collusion.
One addition: the reporters might actually be trying to PROVOKE such illegal coordination/collusion.
The FEC does look at coordination via the press. If Cruz’s press person tells a reporter that they really wish there were more ads running in Iowa, and the SuperPACs suddenly start running ads there, that can qualify as Coordination.
Hard to prove, let alone have the toothless FEC do anything about, but enough to raise a big stink levelling accusations of illegal activities.