Ted Cruz exits the presidential race share Share View Photos View Photos Next Image Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks with his wife, Heidi, by his side during a primary night campaign event, Tuesday, May 3, 2016, in Indianapolis. Cruz ended his presidential campaign, eliminating the biggest impediment to Donald Trump's march to the Republican nomination. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Within hours of the alliance's debut, it was already on shaky ground, with Kasich telling his supporters in Indiana on Monday morning to still vote for him and insisting he wasn't trying to do anything to stop Trump. By Thursday, Cruz was insisting there was no "alliance" — these aren't the droids you're looking for — and Kasich's chief strategist, soon after, sending not-so-cryptic tweets about not being able to stand "liars."

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Cruz followed up the swelling success of that moment with another transparent attempt to change the narrative of the race before Indiana's primary Tuesday: He named Carly Fiorina as his vice presidential running mate.

Or, more accurately, he signaled that if he won the GOP nomination at some point between now and the end of the Republican National Convention in mid-July, it was his intention to pick Fiorina. Which was sort of weird. But not as weird as the fact that Cruz spoke for 30 minutes before he actually, you know, got to the point.

The Fiorina pick was seen as either presumptuous or head-scratching (or both!) in most circles, and, even on the day it was announced, didn't move the needle as Cruz had to hope it might.

Even when Cruz got legitimately good news this week, it fell well short of expectations. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) kind of, sort of endorsed Cruz on Friday, but he also heaped praise on Trump in the process and made clear that he wouldn't be doing much other than voting for Cruz in the final few days of the primary race.