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Ohio Gov. John Kasich wants his campaign to know he's "very unhappy" with his people referring to Sen. Ted Cruz as "lyin' Ted." | John Shinkle/POLITICO Kasich wants super PAC to pull 'lyin' Ted' ad

John Kasich on Friday said he wants the super PAC supporting him to pull an ad that refers to Ted Cruz as "lyin' Ted," a frequent insult levied by Donald Trump against the Texas senator.

“I’ve talked to all the folks in my regular campaign and told them I’m very unhappy with the use of that word," Kasich told reporters following a campaign stop in Hershey, Pennsylvania, referring to New Day for America's 30-second spot featuring Cruz's face and a nose that grows, eventually wrapping three times around the senator's neck.

He added that he had also communicated his complaints to campaign manager John Weaver, who had used the term in a tweet earlier in the week.

"I don’t run that organization, but I’ve expressed my displeasure, and they’re going to — we can’t communicate with them directly — but I don’t like that word, and I’ve told them that," Kasich continued. "And I said it last night on television, and I would hope that they will not use that word and they’ll take it down.”

While acknowledging that he cannot directly communicate with the group, he told reporters, "I've told my people to communicate that I’m very unhappy with that word."

But Kasich left no confusion about where he stands on Cruz himself, alluding to an ad from pro-Cruz Trusted Leadership super PAC that alleged George Soros help bankroll his campaign. Kasich referred to a Wall Street Journal editorial published Thursday evening that characterized that and other tactics as a "smear."

“The problem with Sen. Cruz is, he has no record. His record is shutting down the government and making everyone he works with upset," Kasich remarked. "Now maybe he ought to talk about what he’s for going forward, because what he’s been for in the past hasn’t worked. So, you know, I have a right to be able to stick up for what I believe in. But I don’t like using words like that, because I think that takes us in a direction we don’t want to go.”