Feb 21, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Scoop: Cruz's Cancún trip included college roommate

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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