Cruz vs. Allred: High-Stakes Senate Race Intensifies in Texas

Texas Senate race/ Ted Cruz vs. Colin Allred/ Texas 2024 election/ Allred Cruz debate/ Texas Senate showdown/ Newslooks/ FORT WORTH/ Texas/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Texas Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Colin Allred has become a high-stakes contest, with both candidates raising substantial funds and targeting key suburban voters. With Democrats trying to maintain a narrow Senate majority, the Cruz-Allred showdown could have major national implications.

Cruz and Allred Battle for Texas Senate Seat Quick Looks

• Race Significance: Allred’s campaign represents Democrats’ best chance to flip a Senate seat in Texas.
• Cruz’s Strategy: Cruz leans on his conservative base, painting Allred as too radical.
• Allred’s Approach: Emphasizes moderate policies and support for abortion rights to attract swing voters.
• Key Issues: Abortion rights, economic policies, and Texas’ infrastructure challenges.
• Fundraising: Over $120 million spent, indicating the race’s national importance.

Cruz vs. Allred: High-Stakes Senate Race Intensifies in Texas

Deep Look

The Texas Senate race between Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Colin Allred is intensifying as Election Day approaches. For Texas Democrats, Allred’s campaign offers a chance to win a U.S. Senate seat for the first time in three decades. With Democrats defending a slim majority in the Senate, flipping Cruz’s seat could be pivotal in shaping national politics.

Allred, a former NFL linebacker and three-term congressman from Dallas, is running as a moderate, aiming to attract Texas’ diverse voting base without veering into the aggressive style that marked Beto O’Rourke’s 2018 run against Cruz. While O’Rourke’s electrifying campaign strategy came close, he ultimately lost, and Allred’s more subdued approach is a conscious pivot. “I keep a cool head,” he says, presenting himself as a steady, bipartisan figure who can reach across the aisle. Allred has gained endorsements from prominent Republican figures like former Representatives Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney, which he cites as evidence of his cross-party appeal.

The race is set against the backdrop of key issues affecting Texas. In particular, the 2022 Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which allowed Texas to outlaw almost all abortions, has created a focal point for Democrats. Allred highlights abortion rights in his campaign, including the story of a Texas woman who was forced to leave the state for a medical abortion. He also has not shied away from reminding voters of Cruz’s widely criticized trip to Cancun during the deadly winter storm that left many Texans without power. A head-to-head debate between Cruz and Allred on October 15 is expected to draw significant attention, particularly as Cruz faces pointed criticism for the trip.

Cruz, who has held office since 2012, is rallying conservative support by labeling Allred a “radical leftist” and linking him to contentious topics like immigration and transgender rights. His core supporters remain loyal, and he frequently warns voters against the influence of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has backed Allred’s campaign. “They [Democrats] can’t have Texas,” Cruz said at a recent rally in Tarrant County, an area critical to both candidates. Tarrant County, encompassing Fort Worth and its suburbs, is politically mixed and crucial for Allred to win if he hopes to take the seat.

While Cruz’s 2018 race with O’Rourke marked a high point of Texas Democrats’ hopes, the political landscape has shifted since then. The state’s growth has made its suburbs more diverse and competitive, but challenges remain. Cruz’s reelection bid is supported by national Republican figures who see his seat as essential to maintaining influence in the Senate.

The amount of campaign spending underscores the race’s significance. Both parties have committed over $120 million, and AdImpact data shows that Texas Senate spending is now surpassing the amounts spent in Florida, a comparable battleground state. The vast size of Texas and its 20 television markets, including two of the country’s largest in Dallas and Houston, mean campaign ads are essential—and costly.

Allred’s personal story, from his NFL career to civil rights attorney and then U.S. representative, resonates with many Texas voters. He gained political momentum in 2018 after unseating long-time Republican Rep. Pete Sessions in Dallas, a district once considered safely red. His shift from a local to a statewide candidate has not been without challenges, however. In Webb County, Democratic Party chair Sylvia Bruni questioned Allred’s outreach, stating, “As far as he’s concerned, apparently we’re not worth the time.”

Allred defends his strategy, noting that the state’s issues have shifted since O’Rourke’s 2018 run. “I’m a different candidate, and this is a different year,” he said. With issues like inflation, immigration, and Texas’ infrastructure failures on voters’ minds, the Cruz-Allred contest highlights the changing political landscape in a state long dominated by Republicans.

Whether Cruz’s established base or Allred’s fresh, bipartisan approach will prevail remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the results of this race will impact not only Texas but also the balance of power in the Senate.

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