Althouse "Let's look a this new CNN poll of registered Republicans and independents who say they lean Republican (PDF):
"I wonder what Hillary and her people think, who they're most afraid of. Perhaps there are so many variables that it's not worth figuring out who would be the most dangerous opponent. I've assumed that they are most worried about Rubio. Rubio is attractive, but Trump seems to hate him. I'm thinking Cruz is more dangerous, because Trump will support him. And Cruz will be harder to argue with. Hillary is excellent at maintaining a steely demeanor and she could draw sympathy with the brutish Trump insulting her. With Cruz, she will have to engage in a much more active substantive, verbal way. "
. . . "Cruz is the alternative to Trump who is least likely to provoke Trump to run as a third party candidate. This makes Cruz an especially compelling alternative for those who want a Republican to win the presidency and think the American electorate will balk at the too-weird Trump. Trump may almost be seen as paving the way for Cruz by developing the same issues and by making Cruz — who also has a weirdness problem — seem, by contrast, normal.
"I wonder what Hillary and her people think, who they're most afraid of. Perhaps there are so many variables that it's not worth figuring out who would be the most dangerous opponent. I've assumed that they are most worried about Rubio. Rubio is attractive, but Trump seems to hate him. I'm thinking Cruz is more dangerous, because Trump will support him. And Cruz will be harder to argue with. Hillary is excellent at maintaining a steely demeanor and she could draw sympathy with the brutish Trump insulting her. With Cruz, she will have to engage in a much more active substantive, verbal way. "
Emphasis mine, TD