Ted Cruz is hitting a well-timed stride, topping several Republican polls in Iowa and basking in media attention about his popularity in the state where the first voting contest will be held, in the first week of February.
It might seem implausible that the Iowa frontrunner - a conservative firebrand with strong support among evangelicals - is stepping up his efforts in the mostly secular, moderate-leaning state of New Hampshire, where establishment candidates like Chris Christie and Jeb Bush are planting their flags.
"With the traditional conservative lane freed up by Rick Perry, Scott Walker and Bobby Jindal dropping out, and Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee focusing on Iowa, Cruz could do very well in New Hampshire, especially now that the more establishment lane seems very competitive and jam-packed as we begin the final turn going to the New Hampshire finish line," said Dave Carney, a New Hampshire-based Republican strategist who is not affiliated with any campaign.