California governor hopeful Tom Steyer sported some strange ink on his hand during Tuesday night’s debate.
The billionaire Democrat was seen with a crudely drawn, tic-tac-toe-like symbol on his left hand as he sparred with rivals on the debate stage.
The curious scrawls fueled plenty of speculation and jokes online.
“He wears the same tie and makes that pattern on his hand every day, don’t ask me why,” Kevin Sabellico, a deputy campaign manager for fellow candidate Antonio Villaraigosa, wrote on X.
But the symbol is actually a Jerusalem Cross, according to previous media reports.
The medieval Christian symbol originated with the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem as early as the 11th century.
It gained prominence after the First Crusade, when European Christians captured Jerusalem. The design is associated with Jesus Christ and the four Gospels, the wounds of Christ or the four corners of the world, according to varying interpretations.
Steyer told Buzzfeed in 2019 that “for awhile now,” he has scrawled the elaborate cross on his hand every day to “remind myself to always tell the truth.”
“I later discovered that it has traditionally been known as a Jerusalem cross,” the billionaire explained.
“It means to tell the truth no matter what the cost is,” Steyer added.
The candidate has spent more than $100 million of his own fortune on his bid for governor.
Polls show the self-styled populist near the top of the unpredictable race.
Other leading candidates are former Health and Human Services secretary Xavier Becerra and ex-Fox News host Steve Hilton.