Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) continues to face an avalanche of outcry after objecting early this month to the certification of Arizona's electoral votes at the joint congressional session to certify then-President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election.
Cruz's objection further amplified former President Donald Trump's lies that widespread election fraud coordinated by Democrats delivered President Biden a false victory.
Even after pro-Trump extremists stormed the United States Capitol—a move that left at least five people dead and unprecedented destruction of the nation's leading symbol of democracy—Cruz continued with his objections.
Two weeks later, he attended the inauguration of President Biden on Wednesday, wearing a mask with the slogan "come and take it," a popular challenge from gun enthusiasts to forces they see as a threat to their Second Amendment rights.
The choice of mask garnered praise from the National Rifle Association (NRA), one of the country's most influential lobbying groups, which recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The NRA was just about the only entity praising Cruz's mask, with others mocking him instead.
Twitter users struggled to identify the tiny cannon emblazoned on the mask.
During his 2018 reelection campaign, Cruz received more donations from the NRA than any other political candidate that election cycle.
