I would like to get some feedback on what happened at the republican event

when some guy from the Huckabee campaigned blocked Ted Cruz from joining Huckabee on stage. As far as I know, the person blocking his way was not a guard or law enforcement, so why did Cruz back down and walk away? I could be wrong, I often am, but I think that the sight of a Huckabee staffer trying to rough up a fellow candidate would not have played well for Huckabee and would have allowed cruz to play the victim card.

I have an equal amount of contempt for both of them so my curiosity is merely about strategy.