Ted Cruz has  run an excellent tactical campaign so far, picking his spots to strike while keeping the campaign gaffes to a minimum.

Unfortunately, his major unforced error so far appears to be a drag on his campaign in New York City.  His crack about "New York values" is hurting him with New York voters.

New York Post:

Cruz visited the Sabrosura Chinese-Dominican restaurant, where Diaz said the presidential candidate could “listen to the social, economic and spiritual needs of our community” while dining with other clergymen on the eatery’s famed fried rice and plantains.

Aside from about 70 ministers affiliated with Diaz, only a dozen voters turned up — and two of them were tossed out after screaming protests about the Texas senator’s hardline stance on immigration.

“He is anti-immigrant. He denies climate change. He’s a right-winged bigot and he’s not welcomed here,” said protester Rebel Diaz (no relation to the senator).

Cruz, meanwhile, doubled down on his assault on “New York values,” though he rebranded his message to make it easier for conservative New Yorkers to swallow by calling them “liberal Democratic values” and linking them to Donald Trump.

“Let’s be clear. The people of New York know what those values are, the values of liberal Democratic politicians like Andrew Cuomo, like Anthony Weiner, like Eliot Spitzer, like Charlie Rangel, all of whom Donald Trump has supported, given tens of thousands of dollars to throughout the years,” said Cruz, a day after his decisive win over Trump in the Wisconsin primary.

“If you want to know what liberal Democratic values are, follow Donald Trump’s checkbook.”

A Monmouth poll out yesterday shows Cruz running a distant third behind Trump and Kasich.  It would hardly be a campaign killer if Cruz does not do well in New York, given that Trump is claiming it's his home state.  But it's still worrisome that the candidate is getting zero traction in the state from his Wisconsin blowout of Trump.

New York's more moderate Republicanism plays to Kasich's strengths, but even he is unlikely to catch Trump, who appears headed for a big win on April 19.