Cruz Explains His Trip To Cancun as Millions in His State Did Not Have Power

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.”

Images circulated on social media of Cruz boarding a plane to Cancun.

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.”