Senator Ted Cruz from Texas found himself the subject of a parody ad, likening him to the beloved animated character Homer Simpson. The ad was produced by NRDC Action Votes, an arm of the Natural Resources Defense Council, which focuses on environmental advocacy and aims to “confront the climate crisis, protect public health, and safeguard nature.” It humorously criticizes Cruz for his decision to travel to Cancún, Mexico, in February 2021 while Texas grappled with severe winter weather and widespread power outages.
This trip became a hot topic during Cruz’s October 15 debate with Democratic challenger Colin Allred. Allred pointedly remarked, “He’s never there for us when we need him. When the lights went out in the energy capital of the world, he went to Cancún.”
The ad, shared on YouTube, features an animated Cruz awkwardly retreating into a bush, reminiscent of a classic scene from a 1994 The Simpsons episode, which has since become a viral meme. A voiceover asks, “Ted Cruz when you ask him why he was in Cancún when the power grid failed,” as the animated Cruz disappears from view.
Cruz has previously shown his fondness for The Simpsons, claiming at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2018 that Republicans “happily [are] the party of Homer, Bart, Maggie, and Marge,” contrasting this with Democrats being the “party of Lisa Simpson,” known for her liberal views.
In 2015, a viral BuzzFeed video featured Cruz impersonating various characters from the show, joking, “I have been told many times: I have a face for radio, and I have a face for animation.”
Cruz faced significant backlash for his Cancún trip during the deadly winter storm, where he initially justified it by saying it was to be a good dad after his daughters requested a trip when school was canceled. He later called the decision “obviously a mistake,” emphasizing he didn’t want any distraction from the real issues affecting Texans.
In September, Cruz criticized Allred for removing an endorsement from the NRDC from his Instagram, suggesting it exposed Allred’s alignment with what Cruz labeled as the radical faction of the Democratic Party intent on harming the oil and gas sector. Allred, however, continues to promote his commitment to a balanced energy approach that addresses climate change while ensuring job creation and environmental safety.
“I’m proud of the work that I’ve done to ensure we take an all-of-the-above energy approach that addresses the climate crisis, creates energy jobs, and ensures Texans have a safe and clean environment,” Allred stated in September while featuring a still-active endorsement post on X, formerly Twitter.