Ted Cruz started the month riding high in Iowa. Now, he just wants to get out of the state alive.
The self-styled rock-ribbed conservative is under siege, battling attacks from his right and left flanks who say the Texas senator with tea party and evangelical credentials isn't who he claims to be.
And as Cruz appears to be falling farther behind front-runner Donald Trump, his campaign is now looking in the rear-view mirror, concerned that Marco Rubio and the rest of the GOP field are closing in.
Cruz's problems were in sharp relief at the Fox News debate in Des Moines Thursday night, where he was everyone's favorite punching bag. The consistent charge: Cruz is a fake.
"This is the lie that Ted's campaign is built on, and Rand touched upon it -- that he's the most conservative guy, and everyone else is a -- you know, everyone else is a RINO," Sen. Marco Rubio said Thursday night. "The truth is, Ted, throughout this campaign, you've been willing to say or do anything in order to get votes."
Pulse of New Hampshire Republican voters: We are tired of losing
Cruz, in the center of the stage because of Trump's absence, finally got fed up with the attacks, and complained to Fox News moderator Chris Wallace.
"Chris, I would note that that the last four questions have been, "Rand, please attack Ted. Marco, please attack Ted. Chris, please attack Ted. Jeb, please attack Ted," he said. "Gosh, if you guys ask one more mean question I may have to leave the stage."
The front page of the Des Moines Register summed it up: "Rough Night For Cruz."
Cruz said Friday in Fenton, Iowa, that he's not worried about the headlines.
"You know, we've seen too many Republicans that live in the echo chamber of the mainstream media bubble, that live in the world of political correctness," he said. "My focus is on talking to the voters directly and making the case to them that I have spent my entire life fighting to defend the Constitution.
