NATIONAL HARBOR, MD In the exhibit hall at CPAC there are colorful characters, some in costume, like a not so buff Captain America, helpful people at booths and one very riveting poster - a tattooed, six-packed Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
No one has more of a cool factor here than Cruz - or, at least, Cruz’s poster. The edgy poster of the GOP Texas senator -- “Blacklisted and Loving it” All American Tour, Ted Cruz 2016 - is the work of Sabo, a Los Angeles-based artist who is originally from Texas. He did the poster last year as a show of support when the conservative Cruz was in liberal Beverly Hills for a fundraiser. And Sabo is here, too, only to happy to pose with his poster. He also printed out small versions to hang on lanyards that were a hit with Cruz supporters. Cruz is scheduled to speak today.
In an interview, Sabo said that he usually does “anti-pieces,” but he was receptive to Cruz. “I always kept an ear open for this guy,” he said. “He’s a pretty cool guy.”
“He doesn’t look like a bad ass but he acts like a bad ass.”
So Sabo, inspired by the senator’s strong stands on issues, gave Cruz a naked torso with a giant eagle across his chest, tattoos on the neck and arms. He also put a cigarette in his mouth, which reportedly made Cruz comment that the picture was accurate except that he didn’t smoke.