Ted Cruz Takes a Flight to Laguna Beach Before Texas Winter Storm Hits

Senator Ted Cruz Under Scrutiny for California Trip Amid Texas Winter Storm

A recently surfaced photo of Senator Ted Cruz boarding a flight to Laguna Beach, California, as Texas braces for an impending winter storm, is drawing significant attention. The photograph, posted by Shea Jordan Smith on X, appears to have been taken on Tuesday, just days before severe weather is forecasted to hit the state.

Cruz’s office confirmed that the senator is indeed traveling for pre-planned work obligations, indicating that he will return to Texas before the storm’s expected arrival. A spokesperson for Cruz stated, “Senator Cruz is currently on pre-planned work travel that was scheduled weeks in advance. He will be back in Texas before the storm is projected to hit,” in a statement provided to FOX 4.

This latest episode has reignited memories of a 2021 controversy when Cruz faced widespread backlash for traveling to Cancun, Mexico, during a catastrophic winter storm that left millions of Texans without power, heat, or running water. The crisis resulted in frigid temperatures and a subsequent overload of the state’s power grid, causing significant hardships for residents, including frozen pipes that flooded homes. The winter storm claimed approximately 246 lives across Texas.

Cruz described his Cancun trip as a "mistake" and acknowledged during a later interview that he had reconsidered his decision almost immediately as the crisis unfolded. He expressed regret for leaving Texas during such a critical time, stating, “It’s not the same as being here.”