I hold the opinion that Cruz is right where he needs to be for the time being. Along with standing fast against the destruction of the Constitution, he is forcing the Republicans to out themselves for the pathetic tools they are.
A good number of us here know what, in your words," Pathetic tools they are." And each election cycle we are raked over the coals and savaged for pointing this out. We are told what liars we are and the only way to straighten things out is to elect Republicans. The day after the election, things go back to the way they were and the Republicans begin making excuses and saying, "Elect me and I will repeal obamacare".
The problem is that Ted Cruz showed them how to get rid of obamacare. Then someone turned out the lights and when they came back on Ted's back was full of Republican knives.