Feb 21, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Scoop: Cruz's Cancún trip included college roommate

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Sen. Ted Cruz is seen in a newspaper photo alongside his college roommate, David Panton. — The front page of a Jamaican newspaper shows Sen. Ted Cruz and his college roommate David Panton (center) in 2001. Photo: Rosalind Helderman/The Washington Post via Getty Images

In explaining his disastrous Cancún trip, Sen. Ted Cruz failed to mention his college roommate also was along for the visit.

Axios has learned Cruz (R-Texas) invited David Panton, his longtime friend and former roommate at Princeton and Harvard Law, to join the family getaway.

An aide tells Axios the senator extended the invitation only after the Cruz family planned the vacation last Tuesday.
Panton accepted, and flew to Mexico.

The bottom line: Panton stayed at the Ritz-Carlton, while Cruz schlepped home.

Panton grew up in Jamaica and is now a private equity investor based in Atlanta. He didn't respond to Axios requests for comment.

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