The Buffalo News is facing a wave of criticism after publishing a political cartoon by its Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Adam Zyglis on 9 July. The drawing depicts a man wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat being swept away by floodwaters, with the conservative slogan “Gov’t is the problem, not the solution” floating above him. The cartoon references the 4 July flash floods along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas, where officials say at least 109 people have died and dozens remain missing. Many victims were children attending Camp Mystic, and search-and-rescue operations continue under an emergency declaration by Governor Greg Abbott. Republican lawmakers and party officials, including U.S. Representatives Elise Stefanik and Claudia Tenney, New York State Senator Rob Ortt, and Erie County Republican Committee chair Michael Kracker, condemned the illustration as “heartless,” “vile” and “shameful.” They called on the newspaper to retract the image, apologise to affected families and consider disciplinary action against the artist. Zyglis, who won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning, and The Buffalo News had not issued public statements addressing the backlash as of late Wednesday.