Kasich calls Cruz ‘smear artist’ over ad

John Kasich on Monday labeled Republican presidential rival Ted Cruz a “smear artist” over a campaign ad attacking the governor in Wisconsin.

“They’ve spent, I dunno, a million dollars smearing me — Ted, Senator Ted, the smear artist,” Kasich told reporters after a town hall in New York, according to The Washington Post.

“They’re attacking me in Wisconsin. For a guy that’s not doing very well, they sure are spending a lot of money trying to knock me out. But they’re not gonna be successful,” he added.

The Cruz ad goes after tax credits in Ohio awarded to the company Worthington Industries, suggesting a link to Kasich by noting he got hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company before becoming governor.

On Monday, Kasich expressed frustration with coverage of the race, pointing to the inability of voters in Wisconsin to identify him. Cruz is favored to win in the state, based on polls, but he is pushing for delegates.

“I’m up 14 points on Hillary in Wisconsin, and I’m going to lose in Wisconsin,” Kasich said during the town hall, according to the Post. “It’s unbelievable.”