Cruz Finally Responds To Outrage Over Mid-Disaster Mexico Trip: My Kids Asked For It!
CANCUN, MEXICO - FEBRUARY 18: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) checks in for a flight at Cancun International Airport after a backlash over his Mexican family vacation as his home state of Texas endured a Winter storm on Februar...CANCUN, MEXICO - FEBRUARY 18: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) checks in for a flight at Cancun International Airport after a backlash over his Mexican family vacation as his home state of Texas endured a Winter storm on February 18, 2021 in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The Republican politician came under fire after leaving for the warm holiday destination as hundreds of thousands of people in the lone star state suffered a loss of power. Reports stated that Cruz was due to catch a flight back to Houston, Texas. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)MORE LESS
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) finally responded to the uproar created by his decision to decamp to Mexico while the state that elected him to the Senate weathers a historic disaster.
In short: You know how kids are!
In a statement, Cruz pinned the trip on his children.
“With school cancelled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends,” he said. “Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon.”
Photographers at Cancun International Airport captured images of Cruz checking in midday Thursday, dragging a single piece of luggage in a walk of shame back to the states. The senator wore a tucked-in polo shirt and a mask featuring the Texas state flag.
Cruz didn’t say in his statement whether he originally planned on flying back Thursday — or whether the blossoming outrage at his decision to skip town in the middle of the deadly disaster spurred a last-minute change of plans.
But Edward Russell, an airlines reporter at the travel news website Skift, reported that an unnamed source at United Airlines told him Cruz was originally scheduled to return to Texas on Saturday. Around 6 a.m. on Thursday, Cruz changed plans, rebooking his flight to return Thursday afternoon, Russell reported.
CANCUN, MEXICO – FEBRUARY 18: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) checks in for a flight at Cancun International Airport after a backlash over his Mexican family vacation as his home state of Texas endured a Winter storm on February 18, 2021 in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The Republican politician came under fire after leaving for the warm holiday destination as hundreds of thousands of people in the lone star state suffered a loss of power. Reports stated that Cruz was due to catch a flight back to Houston, Texas. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)CANCUN, MEXICO – FEBRUARY 18: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) checks in for a flight at Cancun International Airport after a backlash over his Mexican family vacation as his home state of Texas endured a Winter storm on February 18, 2021 in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The Republican politician came under fire after leaving for the warm holiday destination as hundreds of thousands of people in the lone star state suffered a loss of power. Reports stated that Cruz was due to catch a flight back to Houston, Texas. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)CANCUN, MEXICO – FEBRUARY 18: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) checks in for a flight at Cancun International Airport after a backlash over his Mexican family vacation as his home state of Texas endured a Winter storm on February 18, 2021 in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The Republican politician came under fire after leaving for the warm holiday destination as hundreds of thousands of people in the lone star state suffered a loss of power. Reports stated that Cruz was due to catch a flight back to Houston, Texas. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)
Matt Shuham (@mattshuham)
is a reporter in TPM’s New York office. Prior to joining TPM, he was associate editor of The National Memo and an editorial intern at Rolling Stone.
