Stephen Amberg, a political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said Cruz isn't known for his legislating but rather as a soldier in the conservative movement, especially under former President Donald Trump. Political experts across Texas acknowledged that Cruz's quick apology could quell the scandal in the short term, but it's sure to follow him in the leadup to 2024, when he is up for re-election in the Senate or if he enters the Republican primary for president. His opponents are definitely salivating at the thought of using those pictures of Cruz at the airport in attack ads." "If he runs for president, you can be sure this will come up. "He has serious branding issues," Algara said. "The wave of bad press forced him to do something that Senator Cruz rarely does: He came out and offered a mea culpa."Īlgara added the flub highlighted on of Cruz's biggest political liabilities: His character and ability to be empathetic. "If he thought this wasn't a big deal, he wouldn't have bent over backwards," Algara said. He spoke to both local and national media outlets and offered a frank apology. View Gallery: Deadly Texas winter storm cripples infrastructureĬarlos Algara, a political science professor at the University of Texas in El Paso, said Cruz's actions when he returned home indicate how damaging this trip could be for his political future.Ĭruz returned to Texas within 12 hours of leaving.
As Cruz traveled, his former opponent coordinated a phone bank to contact seniors across the state and connect them to cold-weather resources. "I think he made a big mistake but did a good job of putting it behind him as quickly as he could," he said.Ĭruz narrowly won his reelection in 2018 against Beto O'Rourke. He noted Cruz's quick apology and hitting the issue head-on could help put the story quickly to rest. Will the trip impact his future?Ĭonant, like other political watchers, said it's unclear whether the fallout from the trip will continue to follow Cruz. The CDC recommends getting tested for COVID-19 three to five days after traveling and staying home for seven days and quarantining even if you test negative after travel. Cruz said at the time he would not immediately take it in hopes of getting it first to seniors and others in need. "In hindsight, I wouldn't have done it," Cruz said, adding it had been his "intention to work remotely," but it became "more compelling" for him to return as controversy grew about the trip.Ĭruz's office did not respond to questions about whether the senator would be quarantining after the trip or whether he had received the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine was offered late last year to members of Congress amid continuation of government efforts. His daughters had requested a trip somewhere warm after they lost power and school was cancelled, he said. Standing outside his home in Houston Thursday evening, with the chants of protesters audible, Cruz said his original intention was to stay in Cancun through the weekend with his daughters and wife. Pictures of Cruz traveling started circulating Wednesday night, immediately drawing the ire of his Democratic critics as many Texans remained without power in structures not designed to withstand the winter's cold.Īfter returning to Texas the next day, Cruz called the trip "a mistake" and said he was just trying to be a good father and husband. More: Ted Cruz escaped to Cancun during a crippling Texas storm in a pandemic, and travelers have so many questions Ted Cruz calls Mexico trip amid Texas winter crisis and power outages 'a mistake' Problems with accessing clean drinking water have persisted after pipes burst in the frigid temperatures. "Natural disasters have a way of upending politicians'' careers," said Republican strategist Alex Conant, who pointed to examples including President George Bush during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. "For politicians, the first rule of any natural disaster is to show up and Cruz broke that rule."Ībout 180,000 customers in Texas were still without power Friday, a number that's gone down significantly from the 4 million who were in the dark earlier this week. The Texas Republican, one of the most conservative members of the Senate, has been a loyal advocate for former President Donald Trump and has attempted to position himself as the rightful heir to his base.īut Cruz's ambitions could be complicated after flying to Mexico as his home state of Texas was weathering the aftermath of a deadly winter storm that left millions without power and running water in freezing temperatures. Ted Cruz has his eye on running for president again. Ted Cruz calls Mexico trip amid Texas winter crisis 'a mistake'
0 kommentar(er)
