Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) speech at the New York City Republican gala on Thursday night was met with a cool reception from the crowd, who spoke amongst themselves and milled about as Cruz delivered his campaign stump speech.
“I will admit to you, I haven’t built any buildings in New York City,” Cruz said at the beginning of his address, drawing some applause, according to Buzzfeed News.
But it went downhill from there.
As Cruz continued with his speech, his applause lines drew little attention from the New York Republicans at the dinner, according to NBC News. The sound of chatter and cutlery on plates grew louder as Cruz’s speech went on, according to Buzzfeed News. People also began wandering the room to chat with acquaintances at other tables.
The scene as Cruz speaks at NYC GOP Gala pic.twitter.com/Pwx8I0Ci25
— Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) April 15, 2016
Attendees @NewYorkGOP gala are talking over @TedCruz waaaay more than they did w/Trump, Kasich or even NM Gov Martinez’s yawner speech.
— Todd J. Gillman (@toddgillman) April 15, 2016
To get an idea of how hard it is to hear Cruz at this NY GOP dinner pic.twitter.com/0r7XckAXmB
— Betsy Klein (@betsy_klein) April 15, 2016
Both Donald Trump and Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) spoke at the event, and Cruz gave the final speech of the three Republican presidential candidates.
Attendees told reporters that some were likely turned off by the Texas senator’s past comments about “New York values” and that his typical stump speech was not geared toward a New York City crowd.
“It’s probably because of his comments about New York values,” George Hoehmann, a Kasich supporter and a town supervisor of Clarkstown, New York, told Buzzfeed News. “I think people have had a difficulty forgetting that.”
“I mean, [Cruz] blew it when he did the New York Values thing — that was a bad point,” Ron Shindel, an attendee who works for the New York Police Department, told NBC News. “But this is Trumpville — this is Trump town. I imagined the overwhelming support of Trump.”
