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Ted Cruz’s resignation from Cancn was said to be earlier than expected on Thursday.
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Cruz flew to Cancn on Wednesday with the intention of staying until Saturday.
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The senator returned home after being chastised for leaving Texas during a severe winter storm.
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas was in Cancun, Mexico, for less than 24 hours before changing his plans to stay in the resort city until Saturday and rushing back to Texas, according to multiple accounts.
Cruz was attacked as he attempted to flee Texas on Wednesday, as the state grappled with a catastrophic winter storm that knocked out electricity to millions. He apparently contacted United Airlines early on Thursday morning and altered his travel from Saturday afternoon to Thursday afternoon. The news was first reported by Skift writer Edward Russell, who cited an unnamed airline source, but it was later confirmed by NBC reporter Peter Alexander.
Cruz’s office was called for comment on whether the Texas Republican modified his plans and came home early as a result of the outpouring of criticism he received while leaving the country. Cruz’s press secretary responded by issuing a widely distributed statement on the trip from the senator. Cruz’s statement did not say if he had always planned to return on Thursday or whether he decided to rearrange his itinerary after arriving in Cancun.
Cruz stated in his statement that he traveled to Cancun at the request of his daughters, who were unable to attend school due to the winter storm.
“This has been an infuriating week for Texas,” he said. “With school canceled for the week, our girls 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.”
Cruz told reporters at Cancun Airport as he returned to Texas on Thursday that his kids had asked him on Wednesday if they could go to Cancun with friends. Cruz stated that he agreed with his wife’s decision and that he would accompany them.
“I flew down with them last night, dropped them off here, and now I’m headed back to Texas,” Cruz said, adding that “what’s happening in Texas is unacceptable.”
The Texas senator’s justification for the trip has been met with considerable suspicion and contempt, and critics accuse him of throwing his children under the bus for the awful optics of taking a vacation while his state is in trouble.
“Ted Cruz let Trump call his wife ugly and say his dad killed JFK, with no repercussions. Now he blames daughters for his abandonment of Texans during a deadly crisis,” tweeted Anthony Scaramucci, who was briefly White House communications director in the Trump administration. “Ted, you have no dignity, you are a disgrace and you will never be President, let alone Senator for much longer.”
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