Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic Rep. Colin Allred fired off one-liners and clashed on policy in the first and only debate in the Texas Senate race Tuesday where both candidates agreed.
Cruz presented himself as a conservative who would “fight to keep Texas,” while Allred portrayed Cruz as an extremist who had done nothing for the state during his 12 years in the Senate.
“When the lights go out in the energy capital of the world, it He went to Cancun. On January 6, he was hiding a supply closet when a mob stormed the Capitol. “When the toughest border security bill in a generation came up in the United States Senate, he withdrew it,” Allred said, repeatedly recalling Cruz’s trip to Mexico during the Texas winter storm of 2021. “We don’t need a senator like that.”
Cruz appeared taken aback by Allred’s zingers.
“Congressman Allred has her lines well memorized,” he said, adding that “there is a difference between words and actions.” Cruz said Allred’s “words sound good” but don’t match her voting record.
Although Cruz has an advantage in Texas, a Republican stronghold, polls show the race is close: Cruz leads by 4 points. Survey at the University of Houston and lately 5 points Marist College questionnaire.
Democrats control 51 seats in the Senate. All of them are sure to lose in deep red West Virginia, and trail Montana in the latest polls. If those two seats go to the Republican Party, Democrats will have a chance to retain control of the chamber. Some Democrats see an attractive opportunity for an upset victory in Texas because of Cruz’s polarizing image.
There is Cruz the alarm sounded about the race, warning that his victory was not guaranteed and that he needed more resources to secure it.
Cruz went on a tirade about energy and blamed Democrats for inflation. He was particularly animated when he attacked Allred on the issue of transgender athletes, saying Allred supported measures that would allow boys to play in girls’ sports.
“Congressman Allred was an advocate for the NFL. It’s not fair for a man to compete with women,” Cruz said.
“I don’t support boys playing girls’ sports,” Allred responded, calling it “ridiculous” that Cruz has presented herself as an “advocate for women and girls” and that “she thinks it’s perfectly reasonable for a girl to be raped by a woman who says she’s the victim of a relative, a consanguineous relationship.” so that she is forced to carry and give birth to that child prematurely.”
Allred used his opening remarks to call himself “the most bipartisan Texan in Congress” and said he was “the complete opposite of Senator Cruz, who is the most extreme senator,” who he said was “self-focused.”
Allred said Cruz is trying to “transition” his image from a radical to a reasonable senator for the election, while also trying to bolster his preferences on health care and abortion. In Roe v. Wade has vowed to support legislation that would restore his rights.
Cruz, a staunch anti-abortionist, did not directly say whether he supported exemptions for rape and incest, but tried to tone down his rhetoric on the issue, saying the Texas abortion law “should be a decision for the United States of America.” state legislature”. He said the Democrats’ support for a sweeping measure of unrestricted abortion rights was the real extremist position in the debate.
Asked if he would support a pardon for the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Cruz sidestepped and said he was in favor of prosecuting the perpetrators, while referring to “antifa and Black Lives Matter riots burning cities across this country.”
“You are a threat to democracy,” Allred said, looking directly at Cruz as he criticized his 2020 endorsement protests.