You are correct; the Trump team lies about Cruz hurt quite a bit.
The "jump the shark" moment for Ted Cruz was, as we all know, at the convention. No one forced him not to endorse Donald Trump, he decided this all on his own. Cruz was given a spotlight to be the "bigger man" and earn a badge of honor that would have swept him back into office in 2018. Ted Cruz chose otherwise.
Instead of putting the good of the country ahead of his hurt feelings, with those infamous three words Cruz asked his devotees to stand with him and support his tantrum. In that moment Cruz told Republicans that a President Hillary Clinton was acceptable. It cost donors and voter support he would have to fight to get back, and it's evident he did a poor job of this. Ted Cruz, not Donald Trump, etched in stone "Lyin' Ted".
And here's the piece de resistance --- Donald Trump, always accused of being a lesser man, put the country ahead of his displeasure with Ted Cruz and personally dragged Ted's ass across the finish line in 2018. After Ted's backstabbing at the convention, I imagine Ted's loss would have brought a private smile to Donald Trump. But the President did what was right for the party and the country. This is the glaring difference between the two men.
Abbott winning by a 13 point margin to Cruz's 3 point margin proves Ted Cruz is being disingenuous when he claims his razor thin victory was about turnout. It also proves Ted has learned nothing. No one can fault the President for this.
@Sanguine