Sen. Ted Cruz, campaigning in New York ahead of the April 19 primary, said his past comments deriding 2016 GOP rival Donald Trump as embodying “New York values” were aimed at Democratic politicians who have hurt the state.
“Let me be very clear: The people that I was talking about are the liberal New York Democrats who have hammered this state,” Mr. Cruz said in an interview that aired Thursday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “It is people like Mayor Bill de Blasio. It is people like Governor Cuomo.”
Mr. Cruz has pointed out that Mr. Trump has donated extensively to New York Democrats, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Mr. Cruz had brought out the line as he was trying to shore up conservative support ahead of the Iowa caucuses, and the billionaire businessman continued to rip the Texas Republican over it at a rally on Long Island Wednesday evening.
“Do you remember during the debate when he started lecturing me on New York values like we’re no good?” Mr. Trump said. “And I started talking to him about the World Trade Center, the bravery, the incredible bravery, of everybody — our police, our firemen, our everybody.”
“The worst attack in the history of the United States, the bravery that was shown was incredible — we all lived through it,” Mr. Trump said. “We all know people that died. And I’ve got this guy standing over there looking at me talking about New York values with scorn [on] his face, with hatred, with hatred of New York.”
“So folks — I think you can forget about him,” Mr. Trump said.
A Monmouth poll released Wednesday put Mr. Trump at 52 percent support in the state, with Ohio Gov. John Kasich at 25 percent and Mr. Cruz at 17 percent.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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