‘Heidi’s pretty p****ed’: Ted Cruz complains about friends who leaked his wife’s Cancun texts

Cruz complained of politicised and nasty atmosphere and advised people not be ‘a**holes’

The fallout from the worst-timed vacation of the year continues, and Heidi Cruz, the wife of Senator Ted Cruz, is “pretty p***ed” at whoever leaked her text messages planning their infamous trip to Cancun while millions of Texans suffered without power or water.

In an appearance on conservative podcast Ruthless, the Texas senator was asked if the couple knew the identity of the individual on his wife’s text group who had betrayed them to the media.

“Yeah, I will say Heidi’s pretty pissed about that, she was actually over at a neighbour’s house yesterday, walking it through,” said Mr Cruz.

Ms Cruz’s texts were first reported in local media outlet Reform Austin and confirmed by others on the text chain.

She complained about her freezing home and invited friends and neighbors to join them for the trip to Cancun noting there was a direct flight, a hotel with availability, and the ability to get tested for Covid-19 before they returned to the US.

Mr Cruz said that his wife had texted a number of friends and neighbours — both Republicans and Democrats who had supported Beto O’Rourke — and that the leak was indicative of “how ridiculously politicised and nasty” things have become.

“Here’s a suggestion, just don’t be assholes,” said the senator. “Treat each other as human beings, have some degree, some modicum of respect.”

He stressed that he and his wife have lots of Democrat friends and said that “people need to laugh a bit and loosen up”.

It is unclear if they have identified the culprit.

Mr Cruz blames “Trump withdrawal” for the media storm of criticism he received after being spotted boarding the flight to Cancun.

When winter storm Uri wreaked havoc across Texas last week, four million of Mr Cruz’s constituents lost power, and millions more lost access to potable water.

In the freezing conditions, dozens of people died from hypothermia in unheated houses, or in accidents as a result of trying to heat their homes.

Protesters have gathered outside the Cruz’s house in Texas since the family vacation to Mexico, with chants of “resign” and at one point an appearance by a mariachi band.

Making light of the anger directed at him, Mr Cruz opened the interview by referencing the mock conspiracy theory that he is the still unidentified Zodiac Killer: “I haven’t had this much negative press coverage since northern California in the 1960s.”