cruz airport police
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., checking into Cancun International Airport on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021.
MEGA/GC Images via Getty Images
  • As millions of Texas went without heat or electricity, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz flew to Cancun.
  • Cruz later said he was just trying to be a “good dad” to his two daughters during the storm.
  • Here are the best memes inspired by Cruz’s trip to Cancun, Mexico.
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz left Texas amid a state of emergency to spend time in Cancun, Mexico, with his family. The Texas senator returned from his trip earlier than anticipated when he was swiftly criticized for fleeing his home state while millions were without electricity and heat during a rare snowstorm and single-digit weather. 

Freezing cold, huddling under blankets for warmth, some Texans had to boil their drinking water due to frozen pipes and damaged water systems. Families struggling to survive shared terrifying stories online, with leaking pipes filling homes with ice and flooding buildings. 

The dissonance infuriated many as Cruz, one of the state’s two US senators, escaped to a warm destination while Texans faced a climate catastrophe.

In a statement Thursday, Cruz said he decided to leave Texas to be a “good dad” to his two daughters.

“With school cancelled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends,” Cruz said Thursday’s statement. “Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon.”

But text messages obtained by Insider and corroborated by The New York Times showed that the vacation was planned by his wife, Heidi. 

Naturally, the controversy immediately led to memes and TikToks online. 

@probablywatchingcongress

Looks like your vacay got cut short senator #tedcruz #cancun #zodiackiller

♬ Chug jug with you - Frend?

@millennialloteria

Still not the worst thing he’s done in 2021... ##TedCruz ##MAGA ##Texas

♬ Conga - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine

 

Cruz leaning on his children for an excuse provided fodder for many of the memes.

 

The most popular Cruz memes of the week edited other people into photos of the senator in the airport, or edited Cruz into other famous photos. 

The internet didn't leave out Snowflake, the family poodle Cruz apparently left at home during his trip to Mexico, according to New York Magazine.

 

Read the original article on Insider