For Ted Cruz, his landslide victory in Wisconsin seemed like a faraway dream. In an attempt to gain the support of New Yorkers before the primaries on April 19, Ted Cruz stopped by the Bronx. Unfortunately for the candidate, the New Yorkers in the area wasted no time in giving the GOP candidate a piece of their minds.
The cold response to the candidate was so severe that among the 1.4 million people in the Bronx, Cruz was only able to gather less than 100 at his campaign event in Parkchester. Considering that the event was coordinated with state Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., the turnout was indeed alarming for Cruz.
What's even worse is the fact that a significant number of those who showed up for the candidate did not come to support Cruz's candidacy. During his stop at the Sabrosura Chinese-Dominican restaurant, only about a dozen voters turned up, and two of them ended up being thrown out of the area after heckling the GOP candidate.
Rebel Diaz, one of the protesters against Cruz, expressed his displeasure about the candidate.
"He is anti-immigrant. He denies climate change. He's a right-winged bigot and he's not welcomed here," he said.
Rodrigo Venegas, one of the men who got thrown out of the restaurant, was even more fierce in his criticisms of the candidate.
"You're running on an anti-immigrant platform, and you're speaking in the Bronx. You should not be here," he said before he was removed from the area. While he was being escorted out, Venegas was cheered by fellow protesters.
That is not all, either. Cruz's scheduled appearance at the Bronx Lighthouse College Preparatory Academy was ultimately cancelled after the students took it upon themselves to prevent the candidate from visiting the school.
In a letter submitted to the school principal, the students threatened to walk out of the school if Cruz goes through with the visit. According to the students, Cruz's stance on various national issues is offensive and in complete disagreement over the principles that the school is founded on.
"The presence of Ted Cruz and the ideas he stands for are offensive. His views are against ours and are actively working to harm us, our community, and the people we love. He is misogynistic, homophobic, and racist," the letter read.
Lighthouse Principal Alix Duggins has lauded the students' efforts.
"Your points are eloquently argued, in fact, so eloquently argued that upon reading your email, Khori Whittaker, the CEO of Lighthouse Academies has agreed to cancel the visit. I'd like to commend you and the other students for your commitment to your beliefs and values. I believe that I would not have been able to get the visit cancelled without your actions," Duggins said.
With the state's reception so far, it seems like New York will be a challenging area for Ted Cruz.
