Story highlights Ted Cruz addressed a women's Republican club in midtown Manhattan

Cruz has heaped praise on de Blasio's predecessor as, Michael Bloomberg

New York (CNN) Ted Cruz went to Bill de Blasio's home turf Wednesday to sharply criticize the New York mayor in response to the backlash following the Texas senator's call to patrol Muslim neighborhoods.

Cruz made the comments following the terror attacks in Brussels on Tuesday. And Cruz on offered a locally-tailored indictment of political correctness, arguing to a women's Republican club in midtown Manhattan that security concerns had to come before the wishes of liberal Democrats.

Ted Cruz talks to New Yorkers about New York values



"I arrive in New York, and Mayor de Blasio promptly held a press conference to denounce me -- so I must be doing something right," Cruz said to applause. "If Mayor de Blasio ever holds a press conference and says 'I agree with Ted,' that will be the instant I hang it all up and realize I've gone terribly, terribly wrong." "I arrive in New York, and Mayor de Blasio promptly held a press conference to denounce me -- so I must be doing something right," Cruz said to applause. "If Mayor de Blasio ever holds a press conference and says 'I agree with Ted,' that will be the instant I hang it all up and realize I've gone terribly, terribly wrong."

Cruz has been on the defensive for the 24 hours after he called for increased patrols of places that have a greater incidence of "radical Islamic terrorism." That earned rebukes from President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and de Blasio.

"I just have to say it's reprehensible," de Blasio told reporters Tuesday. "His comments are not about safety and security. It's demagoguery."

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