Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzLoeffler calls for hearing in wake of Netflix's 'Cuties' Health care in the crosshairs with new Trump Supreme Court list 'Parks and Rec' cast members hosting special reunion to raise money for Wisconsin Democrats MORE on Wednesday compared rival Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE to Democrats Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersMcConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters Why Democrats must confront extreme left wing incitement to violence MORE and Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillicon Valley: FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden | Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden MORE on healthcare.

“Even now as a candidate, Donald says we ought to have full-on socialized healthcare,” he told host Megyn Kelly on Fox News’s “The Kelly File.”

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“In the very last debate, he said Republicans are ‘heartless’ if they don’t support socialized medicine,” Cruz said.

“We hear that rhetoric all the time from Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. I don’t think Republican voters are interested in hearing themselves described as heartless if they don’t like the government taking over healthcare.”

Cruz also suggested that Trump’s more left-leaning policy stances helped him win New Hampshire’s GOP presidential primary on Tuesday.

“New Hampshire is a good state for a liberal Republican,” he said.

“Donald Trump is someone who emphatically supported [President] Obama’s TARP bailout of Wall Street and emphatically supported his stimulus. Those views resonate pretty well with a moderate or liberal audience.”

Cruz added that Trump would lack similar advantages heading into South Carolina’s primary on Feb. 20.

Conservatives "have been burned over and over again,” he said. "The people in South Carolina don’t want to nominate another deal-maker, someone who will give in and capitulate and give up on our principles.

“I think they’re looking for a strong constitutional conservative,” Cruz added. "What we are seeing is conservatives uniting behind our campaign.”

Trump emerged victorious in New Hampshire, routing his GOP rivals by nearly 20 points. The Republican field next targets South Carolina, where Trump owns a 16-point edge.