As you know better than most, Palin was an easy target because she fit their paradigm. She was from “outside” the elite class, so when she said anything that they could twist int sounding dumb, it helped them marginalize her conservative beliefs.
Ted Cruz is from the “inside” - Ivy League schools, high-powered lawyer, former federal employee, US Senator. So his conservative beliefs are at odds with his pedigree which is awkward for the elites to deal with. In their view, a man with his credentials simply should not think the way he does. Because he doesn’t fit the mold he is not an easy target like Palin was, so they are going to have to work a lot harder and devote more resources to taking him down.
That’s why they are gathering all their forces and sources to bring down Ted Cruz and early.
They, both the left, the MSM and the RINOo elites see him as a threat to their golden boy or golden gal and needs to be stopped early.
Unfortunately for them, he’s got a voice that’s being heard not since Ronald Reagan and people are sitting up and taking notice and shutting out the white noise riffraff from the MSM, the left, and the RINORATS GOPe.