The cast of characters in Cleveland this week for the Republican National Convention includes GOP officials, passionate delegates and equally passionate protestors.
It also includes at least one prominent Republican figure from the 1800s.
Former Missouri House Rep. George Engelbach said dressing as Abraham Lincoln gives him an opportunity to talk with fellow Republicans who stop to admire his fashion choice.
“I started doing this about 20 years ago and just worked up to full dress for Republican events,” he said.
Engelbach is tall - just a bit shorter than Lincoln, who was 6 feet 4 inches tall - and he said it’s not hard for him to get into character.
“I’m like this all the time except for the suit,” he said.
Engelbach added that the costume helps him spread the word about the GOP.
“It draws a lot of attention to our party, this is the party of Lincoln, and as long as I’m able to do this I’m going to do it,” he said.
Not all the attention Engelbach has brought to the GOP has been good. He sparked controversy in 2012 when he reportedly said there was a “relatively low conception rate with highly traumatic rapes” and differentiated between “rapes that are just brutal” and attacks on women who are inebriated.
Four years later, Engelbach is back in character and costume.