Ted Cruz photographed without a face mask as he flew commercially from Houston to Dallas

• Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, was photographed not wearing a mask as flew Sunday from Houston to Dallas on American Airlines.
• A fellow passenger took photos of a maskless Cruz both on the airplane and at the airport gate.
• A spokesperson for Cruz said that during the flight, the senator "removed his mask to drink and put it back on afterward."
• This comes as Texas' coronavirus cases and deaths are surging.
• The state reported more than 9,060 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday.

Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, didn't wear a face mask for part of a Houston to Dallas flight on American Airlines Sunday, according to a photo taken by a fellow passenger.

Cruz was also photographed without a mask at the gate of the airport. The fellow passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, sent photos of a maskless Cruz to a friend who passed the images on to Hosseh Enad, an employee of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Enad posted one image of Cruz sitting on the airplane looking at his phone and holding a cup of to-go coffee and another photo of Cruz sans mask waiting in the airport gate. The airline crew didn't appear to ask Cruz to wear a mask, Enad told Business Insider.

American Airlines' policy says all passengers, except young children and those with a health condition that prevents them from wearing a mask, must wear masks while flying. Passengers are allowed to temporarily take off their masks while eating or drinking.

"To help promote safety, Senator Cruz wears a mask when traveling, and practices social distancing where possible," a spokesperson for Cruz told Business Insider in an email. "Consistent with airline policy, he temporarily removes the mask while eating or drinking. Yesterday during his flight he removed his mask to drink and put it back on afterward. We should all practice common sense measures to slow the spread of the virus."

The spokesperson did not immediately confirm whether Cruz was eating or drinking for the whole flight or in the gate.

American Airlines tweeted on Monday, "We committed to protecting the health and safety of all customers, and we are reviewing the details of this matter."

This comes as Texas' coronavirus cases and deaths are surging. The state reported more than 9,060 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday — the second-highest number of new infections in the US behind Florida.

President Donald Trump for months refused to wear a face covering, despite the federal government's recommendation that all Americans wear cloth face coverings when they cannot social distance. And he has held several political rallies, including at indoor venues, that didn't require masks or social distancing. Trump on Saturday wore a mask for the first time publicly during a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Some GOP leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have recently begun urging Americans to wear masks and have publicly worn face coverings themselves. Cruz has been photographed wearing a mask in the Capitol.