Ted Cruz Calls Cancun Group Text Leaker 'Nasty': 'Just Dont Be A**holes'

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has yet again addressed the controversy surrounding him flying to Mexico while a severe winter storm left millions of his constituents without power, saying his wife was pretty pissed that her texts about trip-planning were leaked and that people should treat each other as human beings.

Texts obtained last week by The New York Times show the senators wife, Heidi Cruz, messaged a group of friends, including some neighbors, as freezing weather took over Texas. Anyone can or want to leave for the week? she asked, adding, We may go to Cancn.

Cruz told the Ruthless podcast this week that someone leaking the texts was a sign of how ridiculously politicized and nasty the current political climate can be. He noted that he has both Republican and Democratic neighbors.

Heidis pretty pissed about the text leak, he said.

You know, heres a suggestion: Just dont be assholes, Cruz added. Just treat each other as human beings. Have some degree, some modicum of respect.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tells @RuthlessPodcast his wife Heidi is pretty pissed about the leaked Cancun texts:

It's a sign of how ridiculously politicized and nasty and just ... Heres a suggestion, just dont be assholes. Just treat each other as human beings. pic.twitter.com/ANtsOFmkfu

The Recount (@therecount) February 23, 2021","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"The Recount","author_url":"https://twitter.com/therecount","cache_age":86400,"description":"Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tells @RuthlessPodcast his wife Heidi is pretty pissed about the leaked Cancun texts:It's a sign of how ridiculously politicized and nasty and just ... Heres a suggestion, just dont be assholes. Just treat each other as human beings. pic.twitter.com/ANtsOFmkfu The Recount (@therecount) February 23, 2021\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":646,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1364194620872220673/pu/img/V1UHEu2K9HeDwgHM.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"The Recount on 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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tells @RuthlessPodcast his wife Heidi is pretty pissed about the leaked Cancun texts:

It's a sign of how ridiculously politicized and nasty and just ... Heres a suggestion, just dont be assholes. Just treat each other as human beings. pic.twitter.com/ANtsOFmkfu
The Recount (@therecount) February 23, 2021

Cruz was seen on a United flight to Cancun last Wednesday night, as millions of people in his state had no heat, electricity or running water in the wake of the storm. After backlash on social media, he flew back to Texas the following morning.

In a statement issued early Thursday afternoon, Cruz denied that he was going to Cancun for a vacation and blamed his daughters for the journey.

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Like millions of Texans, our family lost heat and power, too, he said, adding that he and his wife decided to allow their daughters 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, he said.

Cruz later admitted that he had originally intended to stay with his family through the weekend but ultimately changed the flight home after seeing the widespread criticism.

Cruz told Fox News Sean Hannity on Monday that he thinks the media is covering his trip to Cancun because theyre suffering from Trump withdrawal.

Where theyve attacked Trump every day for four years, they dont know what to do so they obsess over my taking my girls to the beach, he said.

Since returning to Texas from Mexico, Cruz has helped some constituents affected by the storm. However, his work has paled in comparison to that of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). She flew to Texas over the weekend to help people there, and she created a fundraiser for relief efforts that has so far brought in more than $5 million .