At last night’s debate, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz tapped into the richest vein in any mountain: America’s contempt for the mainstream media.

The Texas senator launched a blistering and unexpected attack on the media — and the CNBC debate moderators in particular — at last night’s event.

While the audience went wild, so, too, did a Des Moines, Iowa focus group being held by pollster Frank Luntz.

Cruz’s slam on the media scored a 98/98 out of 100 among the group using live dials to rate the candidates’ remarks.

“I started dialing debates in 1996. That is the highest primary debate score I’ve ever registered,” Luntz said, according to Politico. ” … He said what every conservative has been thinking. And he said it so well. … They really hate these moderators.”

The group unanimously said CNBC should be “ashamed” for the network’s handling of the debate — adding they were “angry” about it.

One participant said she was “grateful” for the moderators’ behavior because it got the “fires in the bellies of the candidates going.”

By a show of hands, the group had a unanimously positive reaction to Cruz’s performance. One participant said she’s switching her support from Ben Carson to Cruz.

“I came in here tonight a Ben Carson fan. I’m still a fan, but now I’m all about Ted Cruz. He’s my man now,” the woman said with a big smile on her face.

Several other Iowa voters indicated they were supporting Cruz after the breakout campaign moment.