It's all still a gentlemanly parlor game to them. They have proven they don't have what it takes for this fight. Some of them are even actively working with the Democrats, they'd rather have their aristocratic rivalry within the country club than open up admission to outsiders.
They believe this is a refereed boxing match under the Queensbury rules, with padded gloves and no hitting below the belt, meanwhile the Left emerges from its corner with a broken bottle and a spiked baseball bat. Gee, they just can't figure out why they keep getting KO'd.
It's kind of like when major wars break out. The existing general staff officers very often have to be sacked, and younger more junior officers elevated into their place. The younger upstarts have a clearer picture of reality, and they know how the fight needs to be taken to the enemy. It's the same in politics. We need men like Cruz to take over from the fossilized old has-beens.