The Ted Cruz–Zodiac Killer meme is a satirical internet conspiracy theory that playfully suggests Senator Ted Cruz is the infamous Zodiac Killer, despite the fact he was born in 1970, over a year after the last confirmed murder. Originating from a Twitter post in March 2013 and gaining massive traction in February 2016—when "Is Ted Cruz the Zodiac Killer?" briefly topped Google's autocomplete—the meme became a widespread cultural phenomenon. Its popularity soared to the point where a Public Policy Polling survey found that 10% of Florida voters believed the joke might be true, while 28% were unsure. Even Cruz himself participated in the joke, tweeting Zodiac ciphers and responding "uh oh" when the killer's code was finally cracked in 2020. The meme has been referenced by major media outlets, featured in a Babylon Bee sketch starring Cruz, and is seen by commentators as a way for the public to express a general unease with the politician's demeanor.