The first Republican primary is months away, but in the race to see which GOP candidate could make the most of the legal battle over a Kentucky clerk’s refusal to grant same-sex marriage licenses, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee emerged a winner Tuesday, thanks to the efforts of an aide to block 2016 rival Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) from joining Huckabee at Davis’ side.

Both presidential candidates were present at the rally at the jail holding Kim Davis, the Rowan County Clerk. But according to a New York Times report of the day’s events, a Huckabee aide physically stood in Cruz’s path to Davis’ side as she and Huckabee appeared in front of the media after her release from jail:

When Senator Cruz exited the jail a throng of journalists beckoned him toward their microphones, but an aide to Mr. Huckabee blocked the path of Mr. Cruz, who appeared incredulous.

Moments later, Mr. Huckabee appeared, joined by Ms. Davis. He stuck close to her side as she approached the reporters, and again when she took the stage, and cast her fight as a choice of tyranny or religious freedom.

Buzzfeed’s Chris Geidner, meanwhile, captured Cruz’s expression as he watched Huckabee and Davis on stage.