US: Texas Democrats urge Cruz to resign in travel row

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas is facing backlash from Democrats for traveling to Mexico as the US state is gripped by a winter storm that resulted in power outages and unsafe drinking water.

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement that Cruz's trip "while Texans remain dying in the cold isn’t surprising but it is deeply disturbing and disappointing."

Hinojosa accused Cruz of "proving to be an enemy" by abandoning Texans and for his alleged role in the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol building in Washington.

"For the 21st time, the Texas Democratic Party calls on Ted Cruz to resign or be expelled from office,” he said.

"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,” said the Democratic chairman. “We are in a battle for the soul of our state. We must restore ethics, competence, and a government that works for the people."

The Republican senator confirmed to The Associated Press that he was in Mexico on a family vacation and was "flying back this afternoon".

"My staff and I are in constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas," Cruz told the AP. "We want our power back, our water on, and our homes warm."

Millions of Texas residents remain trapped in the cold for days due to frigid cold temperatures and are without clean water, heat or enough food that was brought on by a snowstorm that caused the state’s power grid to shut down.

Thirty-seven people have died, according to reports.