Cruz’s entire campaign was built around being the conservative underdog to JEB! When JEB! disappeared, Cruz could not adapt.
Good analysis.
But also, Cruz, no matter what his “outsider” status, still always was “working within the system.” Now, no matter who Trump brings in, he’s really bringing them “out” to his side, sort of like deprogramming them.
Also, Cruz never realized that he was in the middle of a nationalist (not liberal/conservative) revolution.