By David Weigel 11:49 AM Sunday May 1, 2016



Boxer Mike Tyson. Photo / Animal Planet

Trusted Leadership PAC, one of the many groups backing Senator Ted Cruz's campaign for US president, has announced a six-figure online Indiana ad buy that exploits an issue Donald Trump actually introduced to the race.

In 30 seconds, the spot compares the backing of Cruz by Indiana Governor Mike Pence to the friendship between Trump and Tyson - which was tested when Tyson was convicted of rape in Indiana and Trump defended him.

Indiana holds its primary on Wednesday.

Tyson's rape case dates back to July 1991, when a Miss Black America contestant was attacked by the champion boxer in an Indianapolis hotel room.

After serving jail time and making a series of controversial comebacks in the sport, Tyson eventually built a new, goofball public persona.

He played a violent-yet-sensitive version of himself in the Hangover trilogy of blockbuster comedies; as of last year, he has lent his voice to Mike Tyson Mysteries, a throwback cartoon series in which he bumbles his way through adventures alongside a sex-crazed pigeon (voiced by Norm MacDonald) and the ghost of the Marquess of Queensberry.

Trump seemed to be invoking the new, tough-but-silly Tyson in Indianapolis last week. Not far from the site where Tyson was convicted of rape, he reminded voters that the boxer had endorsed him.

"I love it, he sent out a tweet," Trump said. "Mike. Iron Mike. You know, all the tough guys endorse me. I like that, Okay?"

Trump did not mention the context of the rape case, after which he said the boxer had been "railroaded" and suggested that the accuser had been exploitative.

Why Mike Tyson has become an election issue for Trump