Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic Representative Colin Allred engaged in a heated exchange during their first and only debate for the Texas Senate seat, an election both candidates consider competitive.
Cruz framed himself as a conservative defender of Texas, declaring his commitment to “keep Texas Texas.” In contrast, Allred portrayed Cruz as an ineffective extremist who has failed to serve the state during his 12 years in the Senate.
Allred criticized Cruz for his actions during crises, saying, “When the lights went out in the energy capital of the world, he went to Cancún. On Jan. 6, when a mob was storming the Capitol, he was hiding in a supply closet.” He claimed Cruz had backed away from crucial border security legislation. “We don’t have to have a senator like this,” Allred argued.
Cruz seemed unfazed by Allred’s attacks, responding with humor while asserting, “Congressman Allred has memorized his lines well.” He emphasized that Allred’s spoken words do not align with his voting history.
Despite Cruz’s advantage in the Republican-dominated state, recent polls indicate a tight race, with Cruz leading by 4 points in a University of Houston poll and 5 points in a Marist College poll.
Democrats currently control 51 seats in the Senate and are likely to lose in deep-red West Virginia and are trailing in Montana. If those states swing to the Republicans, retaining control of the Senate would become difficult for Democrats. Some see a potential upset in Texas due to Cruz’s divisive reputation.
Cruz has acknowledged the competitive nature of the race and has called for increased resources to support his campaign. He focused on energy issues and attributed inflation to Democratic policies. His comments became particularly spirited when discussing transgender athletes, criticizing Allred for supporting policies that could allow boys to compete in girls’ sports. “It is not fair for a man to compete against women,” Cruz stated.
Allred countered, insisting he does not support boys competing in girls’ sports, and criticized Cruz for his position on abortion rights, arguing against Cruz’s stance that would require a girl who has been raped to carry the pregnancy to term.
In his opening statement, Allred branded himself “the most bipartisan Texan in Congress” and labeled Cruz as “the most extreme senator,” accusing him of being self-serving. He pledged to advocate for legislation that restores the rights established under Roe v. Wade.
Cruz, who maintains a strong anti-abortion stance, did not explicitly address whether he supports exceptions for rape and incest but emphasized that decisions should be made by the state legislature. He characterized the Democrats’ support for unrestricted abortion rights as the truly extreme viewpoint in the debate.
When asked about his stance on pardoning those who participated in the January 6 Capitol riots, Cruz avoided the question, emphasizing his belief in prosecuting criminals while referencing riots associated with antifa and Black Lives Matter.
Allred, addressing Cruz directly, accused him of jeopardizing democracy by disputing the certification of the 2020 election.