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Cruz's Latest Ad Features Donald Trump Action Figure. Sound Familiar?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A new attack ad from a Republican presidential candidate may bring back some old memories for Minnesotans.

Fresh off Donald Trump's decisive victory in the New Hampshire primaries, Texas Senator Ted Cruz is on the attack. Cruz released a campaign ad on YouTube that features several children playing with a Donald Trump action figure, and imply the New York businessman holds questionable values.

Sound familiar?

North Woods Advertising - "Action Figure" - Jesse Ventura for Governor (MN) by NorthWoodsAds on YouTube

It's hard to ignore the similarities between Cruz's latest attack and the much-talked-about advertisement from Jesse Ventura's 1998 gubernatorial campaign. The North Woods Advertising TV spot was a spoof on Ventura's past as a professional wrestler, and proclaimed his commitment to fight against special interests in Minnesota politics.

The ad was very unconventional at the time -- much like the rest of Ventura's campaign -- and gained the candidate a lot of attention. It's unclear whether or not the similarity in Cruz's ad was intentional.

Rumors circulated last summer over whether or not Trump would nominate Ventura as his running mate, were the New York businessman to win the GOP nomination. Ventura told WCCO he would "seriously consider" a spot on the ticket, if offered.

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