Republican Senator Ted Cruz went on Fox News on Tuesday morning to criticize Democratic state lawmakers who fled the state, breaking quorum to prevent the legislature from passing a restrictive voting bill.
"What you're seeing the Democrats do here is a political stunt, and I will say it's ironic, as they were getting on their private jet to fly to Washington, D.C., they almost surely had to show identification to get on that jet," Cruz said. "And yet they're doing this in a fit because they don't want mail-in ballots to be verified, they don't want the signatures to be verified, they don't want basic integrity steps to be strengthened in the state of Texas. This is at the end of the day politics, and they need to get back to doing their jobs."
Vox journalist Aaron Rupar, who posted the clip, noted that Cruz's comparison is a "false equivalency," given that "people have a right to vote but not a right to board jets."
Others on Twitter also had plenty of responses for Cruz, who infamously fled Texas himself during winter storm Ura as the state's power grid failed, leaving hundreds Texans to freeze to death.
Texas Democrats left the state to fight for voting rights. Ted Cruz left the state to sip drinks on a Cancun beach… https://t.co/ZAydvMs7zK
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) 1626184670.0
@atrupar Imagine if they had flown to Cancun.
— Erik Larson (@eelarson) 1626183643.0
After all... @tedcruz would know about showing ID to get on a plane as you flee Texas, right? https://t.co/AB478ivZzO
— Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) 1626186224.0
@byDavidGardner @atrupar Texas Dems left to fight for voters’ rights. Ted Cruz left for a Margarita. ????????♀️
— Denise Sampson (@dams40ish) 1626186084.0
@atrupar Not only is it a false equivalency, but private flights have no obligation to check ID prior to boarding .… https://t.co/vwaoWT228n
— Paul M (@PMuNDPhd) 1626186103.0
@tedcruz you are a coward, and an idiot. ???? https://t.co/wIgXSvIYZv
— American Independent Patriot ❤???????????? (@floridasun60) 1626186484.0
Ted Cruz famously SHUT DOWN THE ENTIRE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT as a political stunt. https://t.co/E1uN2agwvu
— Nunca Trumpismo (@NeverTrumpTexan) 1626186720.0
Greg Abbott is outraged over Texas Democrats leaving the state to protect democracy. I don't recall him making a Yo… https://t.co/jhzn3YSOxz
— ????DeathMetalViking???? (@DeathMetalV) 1626186815.0
@atrupar So now we’re pro showing proof to travel, like maybe a vaccination passport?
— ????????????????????????’???? ???????????? ???? ???????????? (@FreeGirlNowNYC) 1626183607.0
