Sen. Ted Cruz headed back to Texas after facing criticism for jaunt to Mexico
(The Center Square) – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is headed back to his home state after facing criticism for flying to Mexico while millions of Texans have been without power for days following a historic winter storm.
Cruz flew to Cancun, Mexico, on vacation Wednesday night, the Associated Press reported. Flight records posted online appear to show that Cruz upgraded to business class under his name of Rafael Cruz.
Millions of Texans have been without power for several days during sub-freezing temperatures, with more than 7 million under a water boil mandate. Houstonians have been especially hit hard by what local officials have called the winter version of Hurricane Harvey.
Cruz’s vacation jaunt was heavily criticized on social media, with the Texas Democratic Party calling on him to resign.
The senator responded in a statement Thursday, saying he’s heading back to Texas.
“With school canceled 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.”
“My staff and I are in constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas,” Cruz said.
He added that Texans “want our power back, our water on, and our homes warm.”
As of Thursday morning, CenterPoint announced rotating outages “are done for now” and some level of access to water has been restored to the Houston area.
All generators are back online after a strong winter storm hit the state. Another freeze is expected in Southeast Texas Thursday night into Friday morning, with Harris County expecting light snow flurries.
Gov. Greg Abbott continues to receive criticism for the state’s handling of the power loss crisis.
“The 60 generators FEMA sent to Texas are, as of this morning, sitting in a staging area in Ft. Worth waiting for delivery instructions. 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel also standing by. FEMA officials are waiting for instructions from Texas officials about where to send it,” Erin Blanco of the Daily Beast reported Thursday.
At a press conference Wednesday night, Abbott reassured Texans that officials from multiple agencies and companies were working around the clock to provide the resources, assistance, and support to respond to the impacts of winter weather.
Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Chief Nim Kidd said that many state agencies are supporting local officials, first responders, and communities impacted by the weather. TDEM has helped establish more than 300 warming centers statewide.
Texas Department of Public Safety employees have transported fuel, blood, and other resources to hospitals and other essential facilities, and have responded to vehicle crashes throughout the state.
Over 4,500 Texas Department of Transportation employees are operating over 740 snow plows and other equipment to address the ice on interstates throughout Texas.
Disclaimer: This content is distributed by The Center Square
