We’ll see how tonight plays out and affects the trajectory for the race, but at the moment it’s looking like the most likely outcome will be that South Carolina lines up like Iowa with Ted Cruz and Donald Trump in a clear competition for the top spot. (The New Hampshire results that might create a different dynamic would be either Bush crushing Rubio or Rubio crushing Bush such that the other becomes a non-factor, although this doesn’t seem likely — I tend to discount Kasich and Christie in South Carolina).

Trump is already going after Cruz hammer and tongs, and the Texan, once again, is going to be in the political fight of his life. Here is a brutal Trump attack ad against Cruz running in South Carolina now: