Sen Ted Cruz of Texas. Courtesy of Senator Ted Cruz.
But Cruz and his conservative stances stirred up debate upon his arrival in Washington. Several months after his appointment, he was famously called Wacko bird by the late Sen. John McCain. Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. John McCain participate in the press conference on military aid to Israel on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call
In March 2013, McCain called Cruz and other Republicans wacko birds whose beliefs are not reflective of the views of the majority of Republicans, according to The Huffington Post
Cruz embraced the name and even keeps a black baseball cap with a picture of Daffy Duck next to the words WACKO BIRD in his Senate office, according to GQ Magazine.