In his latest campaign ad, GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee appears in front of an ichthys, or an ancient religious symbol resembling a fish, which is well-known in evangelical circles as the symbol used by early Christians to secretly identify one another without attracting persecution.

In his pre-Christmas campaign spot, the former Arkansas governor drew mixed blessings when he appeared in front of a bookshelf that was spotlighted to purposely look like a cross.

“The purpose of these ads is to highlight the things that truly matter — while underscoring my conservative record of leadership and my vision for America moving forward,” Huckabee said in a news release on Tuesday. “As we enter the closing days of the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses, there are a lot of things being said on television and sent to mailboxes across the Hawkeye State. I urge Iowans to look beyond the rhetoric and seek the truth about my record and optimistic plans for our nation’s future.”

And, apparently, behind the rhetoric lies only Christian symbolism.