The New York State Republican Party held a fancy gala last night (featuring chocolate elephants) and three presidential contenders showed up to make their case to the Big Apple’s big timers. With Tuesday’s primary rapidly approaching, it was an opportunity for John Kasich and Ted Cruz to try to make up ground with a state establishment that, for the most part, is loyal to Donald Trump.
Reporters at the event, however, were more amused that the crowd shunned Ted Cruz:
ok it’s sort of rude how little attention this crowd is giving Cruz while he speaks.
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) April 15, 2016
it’s sort of painful to watch someone speak passionately to a crowd who wouldn’t even notice if he killed himself onstage
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) April 15, 2016
Cruz is speaking in the background. Nobody cares. pic.twitter.com/8wLpAkrV23
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) April 15, 2016
the only time the whole crowd paid attention to Cruz was when he ended his speech.
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) April 15, 2016
so far, the most enthusiastic crowd reaction to Cruz has been a couple moments of tepid applause
— Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) April 15, 2016
The NY crowd’s clinking & chattering over Cruz’s speech confirms what Trump said: “Who the hell wants to talk about politics? It’s boring.”
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) 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
As NBC News embed Vaughn Hillyard showed, the crowd just didn’t care about Ted Cruz; he doesn’t embody “New York values” nearly as much as Donald Trump, who spent his speech detailing his list of deals in the city to a far more attentive audience.
The scene as Cruz speaks at NYC GOP Gala pic.twitter.com/Pwx8I0Ci25
— Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) April 15, 2016
Screengrab via Rosie Gray/Twitter
