Ted Cruz originally planned to stay in Cancun until Saturday: reporter

Responding to the growing backlash over his flight to Cancun while his constituents face a statewide crisis due to an unprecedented winter storm, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) released a statement suggesting that he only planned to stay for one night because he wanted to be a "good dad" to his daughters and join them on a pre-planned trip.

"With school cancelled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends," the senator said. "Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon."

But according to reporter Edward Russell of Skift, a travel industry news source, Cruz originally planned to return to the United States on Saturday.

"Spoke to a source at United Airlines, Senator Ted Cruz rebooked his flight back to Houston from Cancun for this afternoon at around 6 a.m. today (Thursday)," Russell tweeted. "He was originally scheduled to return on Saturday."

Photos posted on social media also show Cruz with a moderately large rolling bag on his way back to the United States.