U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is getting a taste of the "New York values" he derided in Iowa as Republicans turn to the next big U.S. presidential contest in the home state of front-runner Donald Trump.

The New York billionaire lost the Wisconsin Republican primary on Tuesday to Cruz and is seeking to rebound in New York on April 19. He won the backing on Thursday of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was irked by Cruz's values comments.

"It's New York City. We're family. I can make fun of New York but you can't," Giuliani, who led the city through the trauma of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, told the New York Post.