The Republicans will play footsie with Cruz, but they won't give him a spot on the national ticket. Use George McGovern as your paradigm. Whenever a committed partisan gets the nomination, the ticket is doomed. Most voters don't eat their political lunch among extreme partisans. Most voters will hold their nose to vote for an extremist.
We've seen Li'l Ricky Santorum get pit stains in that sweater vest of his once the money ran dry. Michelle Bachmann made a run last year and flamed out just before another 'front runner' stuttered and 'oops!' and flamed out.
Cruz feeds red meat to the base. But the electorate is vegetarian.
Bet you said the same shit about Reagan...if you are old enough to remember him!
As a matter of fact, my first Presidential vote was cast in 1976. And the Republicans nominated Ford, yet cheered Reagan.
But I've been watching Reagan since, as Govenor of California, he said of the UC Berkley student strike "If it takes a bloodbath to clear the campus, let it begin at Berkley."
I liked Ronald Reagan on Twenty Mule Team Borax, but the way he regarded citizens and students turned my stomach.