Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is defending his trip to Cancun as millions in his home state were without power after a winter storm wreaked havoc on the state’s power grid.
In a statement on Thursday, Cruz said, “This has been an infuriating week for Texas. The greatest state in the world has been without power. We have food lines, gas lines, and people sleeping at the neighbors’ houses.”
“Our homes are freezing, and our lights are out. Like millions of Texans, our family lost heat and power too,” he added.
Cruz went to say that his daughters’ school was canceled for the week, and they “asked to take a trip with friends.”
“Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon,” he said.
The Texas senator said that he, and his staff, are in “constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas.”
Statement from Sen. @tedcruz on his trip to Mexico as millions in his state were without power, heat, and water
— Betsy Klein (@betsy_klein) February 18, 2021
(story: https://t.co/1NRMfJGEOy) pic.twitter.com/goWaYd4fDV
Images circulated on social media of Cruz boarding a plane to Cancun.
Just confirmed @SenTedCruz and his family flew to Cancun tonight for a few days at a resort they've visited before. Cruz seems to believe there isn't much for him to do in Texas for the millions of fellow Texans who remain without electricity/water and are literally freezing. pic.twitter.com/6nPiVWtdxe
— David Shuster (@DavidShuster) February 18, 2021
His flight drew criticism from former Democratic presidential and Senate hopeful Beto O’Rourke, who said that Cruz was “vacationing in Cancun right now when people are literally freezing to death in the state that he was elected to represent and serve.”
Julían Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio, Texas, tweeted, “In crises like these, members of Congress play a critical role connecting their constituents to emergency services and assistance.”
“[Ted Cruz] should be on the phone with federal agencies, not on a trip to Mexico,” he added.
In crises like these, members of Congress play a critical role connecting their constituents to emergency services and assistance. @tedcruz should be on the phone with federal agencies, not on a trip to Mexico. https://t.co/bjbehcaAwi
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) February 18, 2021
By Thursday morning, it appeared that Cruz was on his way back to Texas.
CNN reports that the state’s power grid has improved, and the number of residents without power has dropped from 3 million to roughly 500,000.