Republicans are pushing back against criticism of Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who recently came under attack for flying to Cancun, Mexico with his family during Texas’s record-breaking cold storm.
There’s a difference between a government official violating lockdown rules he or she voted for
And a guy taking a vacation
Folks, this isn’t hard.
— Mike Cernovich (@Cernovich) February 18, 2021
Cruz apologized for traveling and said the trip was a “mistake,” but that hasn’t stopped Democrats from demanding that he resign his Senate seat immediately.
“The Texas Democratic Party calls on Ted Cruz to resign or be expelled from office,” state Democrat Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement.
“Barring that, we will put all of the resources we have into defeating him and every Texas Republican who abandoned us in this disaster, including Governor [Greg] Abbott and Lieutenant Governor [Dan] Patrick, in 2022 and 2024,” he continued. “We are in a battle for the soul of our state. We must restore ethics, competence, and a government that works for the people.”
Hinojosa ripped Cruz for “jetting off to Mexico while Texans remain dying in the cold.”
Republicans, however, pointed out that there is not much Cruz could do to help Texans during the cold storm.
The simple truth is that Senators don’t do a whole lot other than VOTE. The rest of it is mainly fundraising, posturing, photo ops, etc. Some people think it looks bad for @tedcruz to be in Cancun, but in the end does everything come down to “looks,” ie appearances?
— Dinesh D’Souza (@DineshDSouza) February 18, 2021
Donald Trump Jr., former President Trump’s eldest son, also came to Cruz’s defense:
There’s also a difference between a Governor and a Senator in terms of job description and what they can do for localized disasters. Optics is one thing but let’s be real here. https://t.co/1OLRcrwPGL
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) February 18, 2021
Trump Jr. also pointed out how hypocritical it is for Democrats to focus on Cruz’s Cancun trip but ignore New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recent coronavirus death cover-up.
How is it possible that blue check Twitter is spending more time trying to destroy Ted Cruz taking a family trip but refuses to focus on Gov Cuomo’s lies, coverups, and strong arm tactics that killed thousands?
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) February 18, 2021
Cruz blasted the media for using his “mistake” to “distract” from the “real issues that I think Texans care about.”
“What I would say is I was taking care of my family, the same way that Texans all across the state were taking care of theirs,” Cruz said.
“It certainly was not my intention for that to be understood — as critics have tried to paint it — as somehow diminishing the hardship that other Texans have experienced,” he said.
