IRVINE -- Sharing an anecdote Thursday at a campaign event as he spoke about Republicans trying to attract Latino voters, Ohio Gov. John Kasich got tangled up on the details.

At a luncheon hosted at a posh Orange County golf club by a local political action committee, Kasich heap praise upon Latinos -- a crucial voting bloc, with 28 million expected to be eligible to vote in the 2016 election -- for family values and work ethic, but then appeared to indirectly conflate Latinos and service-industry workers.

"A lot of them do jobs that they're willing to do and, uh, that's why in the hotel you leave a little tip," said Kasich before a small group inside the Shady Canyon Golf Club, nestled in a gated Irvine neighborhood.

Kasich went on to tell a story about his stay at a hotel in Los Angeles in recent days.

"This lady wrote me in my hotel there in L.A. She wrote this note. It said, 'I really want you to know that I care about your stay.' Is that just the greatest thing?" he said. "So, you know, we can learn a lot and she's Hispanic, 'cause I didn't know it at the time, but I met her in the hallway -- asked her if I could get a little more soap,” said a chuckling Kasich.

Though Kasich consistently touts his off-the-cuff style, often speaking without a teleprompter or prepared remarks, the statement about tipping hotel workers was striking for its inarticulateness. When asked to expound on the governor's remarks, a spokesman for Kasich, Chris Schrimpf, insisted that the candidate was merely talking about the hospitality industry.

"He was talking about how great the service was and how we should respect everyone in our society, no matter what their job or position might be," Schrimpf said.

Some local Latino activists viewed it as offensive.

"Most candidates have lopsided, stereotypical ideas about immigrants, which include the sense that immigrants, especially undocumented immigrants, are only good while serving others," said Jorge-Mario Cabrera, communications director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. "The comment lacks history, sense of how important immigrants are to our economy, and vision where immigrants are more than just 'the help.'"

Kasich is among the more moderate Republicans when it comes to proposed fixes to the immigration system widely viewed as broken. He supports a path to legal status for the estimated 11 million people in the country illegally. Kasich, who served in Congress before he was elected governor, also supports the completion on construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

During Wednesday's debate in Simi Valley, Kasich, who is polling toward the middle of the crowded 2016 field, offered fairly moderate views compared with some of his challengers. He opposes shutting down the federal government in an effort to defund Planned Parenthood, a plan pushed by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is also seeking the Republican nomination for president.

As the cast of White House hopefuls sparred with front-runner Donald Trump, Kasich sought to distance himself from the tussles.

"If I were watching at home, I'd turn this off," he said during the debate.

Speaking to reporters after the golf club event Thursday, Kasich said he was pleased with his debate performance, despite the limited attention on him on the crowded stage.

"We're all frustrated we don't get enough time," he said. "I thought yesterday was a little bit of a demolition derby ... sometimes when you get one of those, you got to make sure your car keeps running."