All three Republican presidential candidates spoke at the state GOP dinner Thursday night.
Trump spent much of his speech recounting his real estate deals in New York City, saying he built the very hotel where the event was held -- the Hyatt at Grand Central Station.
He also defended New York values as embodied after 9/11 when New Yorkers displayed courage and selflessness.
“These are the values that we need to make America great again,” Trump told the audience. “We need these values to bring America together again, and the heal America’s wounds.”
Ted Cruz, who derided “New York values” in a debate in South Carolina earlier in the campaign, asked God to bless “the great state of New York,” and joked that he had not built any buildings, but he has defended the Constitution.
Cruz vowed to repeal “every word of Obamacare.”
John Kasich, who also spoke, received the endorsement of former New York Gov. George Pataki.
Kasich told the New York party leaders, “I am the only candidate who beats Hillary Clinton on a consistent basis." Kasich predicted that he would leave Cleveland as the nominee "believe it or not."
