Ted Cruz says a secret plan to team up with Marco Rubio and block Donald Trump's 2016 nomination died when Rubio refused to show up — a story that matters now because Cruz is eyeing 2028.

• Cruz's polling showed a Cruz-Rubio joint ticket would have unified the anti-Trump vote and won North Carolina, Missouri and Illinois by wide margins.
• A secret meeting was set at a small motel between their Miami hotels, but Rubio canceled the day of with no explanation.
• Rubio later told Cruz he believed Trump was simply unbeatable; Cruz lost those three states by a couple of points each.
• Cruz blames the loss on billions in free TV coverage for Trump, and points to leaked Clinton campaign emails urging networks to boost Trump as the easiest opponent to beat.
• He argues the press sorts every Republican into "stupid" or "evil," which is why candidates now bypass it for podcasts — the move Trump used best.

Outlook: Cruz is building a direct-to-audience media presence that looks like groundwork for another presidential run in 2028.