Cruz immediately flew back to Texas and later acknowledged that his trip was "obviously a mistake." With his appearance at CPAC, Cruz will likely attempt to change the narrative. The senator is considered a likely candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. He ran for president in 2016 but lost to Donald Trump. Cruz also spoke at last year’s CPAC, which took place in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. He was later forced to self-quarantine after coming in contact with someone who tested positive for the virus. Cruz has served in the Senate since 2013. He was reelected in 2018 after fending off a tough challenge from Democratic upstart Beto O'Rourke, who broke fundraising records during the campaign. In January 2020, he was one of several GOP lawmakers who objected to Joe Biden’s victory in the Electoral College.