[caption id=”attachment_114821″ align=”aligncenter” width=”3000″] Image via AP/Lauren Victoria Burke
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Despite controversy, Sen. Ted Cruz (R- Texas) will be honored with the American Spirit Award by the Caucus for Producers, Writers & Directors this year.
The Caucus gives the annual award to one Republican and one Democrat each year. This year’s Democrat recipient has not yet been announced but will likely go to California Gov.Jerry Brown, the Hollywood Reporter said.
Past Republican American Spirt Award winners have included Eric Cantor, Darrell Issa, and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.).
The Caucus, which was founded three decades ago by Norman Lear, Aaron Spelling and the like, was far from unanimous on its decision to give this year’s award to Cruz.
Some members threatened to quit if Cruz was selected as the recipient because they considered him to be overly “polarizing” and too much of a “right-winger.”
But Cruz had support from other members, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Said one: “He’s the kind of person Hollywood should admire. Princeton graduate. Harvard law degree. Supreme Court clerk. Legitimate candidate for president. What’s this town scared of?”
Caucus member Lionel Chetwynd confirmed Monday to the Hollywood Reporter that Cruz would get the award.
“I’m looking forward to Sen. Ted Cruz’ visit to Hollywood,” Chetwynd said. “There is no greater advocate on Capitol Hill for free speech, nor persistent critic of the pirating of our intellectual property all over the world.”
