U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz faced off in their first primetime debate this week ahead of the Texas Senate election scheduled for next month. The debate occurred in Dallas on Tuesday, October 15, and lasted an hour, during which moderators posed questions on critical issues including abortion, the war in Israel, inflation, border policy, and housing prices.
The stark political differences between Allred, a Democrat from Dallas, and Cruz, a Republican seeking his third term, were evident throughout the debate. Allred is campaigning to unseat Cruz amidst tight poll numbers, with Cruz maintaining a slim lead as the November 5 election approaches.
The debate commenced with both candidates quickly exchanging barbs. Allred criticized Cruz’s controversial trip to Cancun during the 2021 energy crisis, stating, “We don’t have to be embarrassed by our senator. We can get a new one.” In contrast, Cruz began his remarks by highlighting the unique backgrounds of both candidates, noting his Cuban immigrant heritage and Allred’s upbringing by a single mother. However, he soon accused Allred of attempting to sidestep his voting record and asserted that Allred’s campaign seeks to undo Texas’s progress.
A significant topic of discussion was the near-total abortion ban in Texas, supported by Cruz. He defended the law, stating that Texan voters have supported measures like prohibitions on late-term abortions and notifying parents before a child undergoes an abortion. Allred countered Cruz’s assertion of a statewide consensus, sharing the story of a Texas woman who had to leave the state for a medically necessary abortion. Allred vowed to restore women’s rights to choose and reinstate Roe v. Wade if elected.
The debate also highlighted the candidates’ contrasting views on border security. Allred faced questions regarding his previous comments about former President Donald Trump’s border wall. While he labeled it “racist,” he later expressed support for “physical barriers” as part of a border security strategy, drawing on his experiences with his grandfather, a former U.S. Customs officer. Cruz, however, criticized Allred for voting against the border wall and accused him of advocating for “open borders.”
Cruz sought to blame the Biden administration for rising inflation, linking it to post-COVID-19 economic policies that he claimed Allred supported. Despite this, Cruz did not propose an alternative solution to address the economic challenges faced by Texans. In response, Allred acknowledged the struggles of residents and emphasized his efforts to lower healthcare costs and advocate for infrastructure investments to meet housing demands exacerbated by the pandemic.
The debate provided Texas voters with a clear representation of the candidates’ positions as the election draws near.