Senator Ted Cruz and U.S. Representative Colin Allred debated for the first and only time Tuesday night in Dallas, competing for a crucial seat in the U.S. Senate as polls show a very tight race. Cruz kicks off a tour across Texas, while Allred rallies the DNC in the Senate contest.
You can watch the full debate on WFAA’s website.
The debate, less than a week before in-person early voting begins, could be decisive, as some polls show the two candidates are separated by just one point.
According to the editor of the Quorum Report, Scott Braddock, «The issues will be the economy, the border, and abortion. On the first two, I think both agree they are priorities. But I think Allred will really push on the issue of abortion.»
In his opening statement, Allred emphasized his ability to work across party lines, seeking to contrast his approach with Cruz’s.
Cruz used part of his opening remarks to compare Allred’s story to that of his own father, who emigrated to the United States from Cuba. However, he quickly painted Allred as a threat to Texas. «We’re doing a lot of things right in Texas. Colin Allred wants to change that,»
Cruz said, adding, «I want Texas to stay Texas.» The debate moderators started with one of the most controversial topics of the campaign: abortion. Cruz was asked if he supports Texas’s law that bans most abortions without exceptions for rape or incest.
Cruz did not directly answer the question but said that the state legislature should be the one to decide the law in Texas.
«In Texas, we overwhelmingly support that parents be notified and must give consent before their child undergoes an abortion,» Cruz said. «In Texas, we agree that late-term abortions, in the eighth and ninth months, are too extreme, and let me tell you, in Texas we agree that taxpayer money should not fund abortions.»
Allred brought up the cases of Texan Kate Cox, who had to leave the state, and Amanda Zurawski, who was denied an abortion despite complications with her pregnancy. Allred said he seeks to restore women’s right to choose and codify Roe v. Wade.
«To all the women of Texas at home, to all the families of Texas watching this, understand that when Ted Cruz says he’s pro-life, he doesn’t mean your lives,» Allred said. Allred was asked about his shift in stance on the border wall. In 2018, he opposed former President Trump’s plan to expand the wall, but last year he supported Biden’s plan to expand the border wall.
«Let me be very clear: I believe in physical barriers as part of a comprehensive strategy to secure the border,» Allred said. «We had a $20 billion bill for 1,000 new Border Patrol agents, more immigration judges, more asylum officers, to help us deal with the backlog. I wanted to make sure that passed.»
Allred highlighted that Cruz voted against the border bill. He addressed Cruz directly and asked, «Why don’t you support that, Senator?»
«That’s a great question,» Cruz responded, then asked the moderators, «Can I take his time to answer?»
«You can’t take my time, I’m not yielding my time,» Allred shot back, continuing his criticism of Cruz for blocking measures to secure the border. Cruz responded by highlighting his support for Trump’s policies: «He asked, ‘What have you done?’ We delivered the lowest rate of illegal immigration in 45 years, working hand in hand with President Trump,» Cruz said.
Cruz has been running political ads focused on transgender athletes, arguing that Allred supports allowing boys to play in girls’ sports. «My youngest daughter plays volleyball,» Cruz said. «It’s not fair for a boy or a biological male, a teenager, to spike a volleyball at her, and he has repeatedly voted in favor of that.» «I don’t support boys playing in girls’ sports,» Allred said. «What I believe is that people shouldn’t be discriminated against.»
Cruz was asked what he would say to parents concerned about the safety of their transgender children, who see his campaign ads as dangerous. «I have advocated for protecting the safety of every child, of every person, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Everyone deserves protection from violent crime and discrimination,» Cruz said. Allred criticized Cruz’s ads on the topic, calling them a desperate maneuver: «This is a last-minute, desperate attempt by Senator Cruz to distract you because he can’t defend his own record,»
Allred said. The race has already broken spending records in the state, with the campaign surpassing $100 million so far, breaking the previous record set when Beto O’Rourke nearly defeated Cruz in 2018. Allred’s candidacy is drawing national attention and investment as Democrats see a real chance to flip the long-held Republican seat in Texas.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic Representative Colin Allred clashed Tuesday night in their only debate, exchanging attacks over issues like abortion and immigration in a key race that could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. Nationally, Democrats view Texas as one of their few opportunities to gain a Senate seat this year, while Cruz has warned Republicans not to underestimate Texas’s importance, as there are signs the 2016 presidential candidate could be in a tight race to hold onto his seat.
During the hour-long debate, Cruz repeatedly tried to link Allred to Vice President Kamala Harris, portraying the three-term Dallas congressman as out of touch with Texas voters, who haven’t elected a Democrat to statewide office in over 30 years.
Allred, who would become the first African American senator from Texas if elected, sharply criticized Cruz for the state’s abortion ban, one of the most restrictive in the country. This issue is key to Allred’s campaign, as he faces an uphill battle but has garnered the support of Texas women who experienced serious pregnancy complications after the ban went into effect. When pressed on whether he supports Texas’s law, Cruz said that the details of abortion legislation have been and should be decided by the state Legislature.
“I’m not part of the state Legislature. I’m not the governor,” he stated. Later, Cruz attacked Allred for allegedly changing his positions on border security since being elected to Congress in 2018. Allred accused the senator, who is seeking a third term, of misrepresenting his record and repeatedly attacked him over his family trip to Mexico during the 2021 winter storm that left the state without power.
Both candidates concluded the debate with mutual criticism, as Cruz framed a possible Allred victory as a threat to Republican dominance in Texas.
«Congressman Allred and Kamala Harris are pushing the same radical agenda,» Cruz said during the debate. Meanwhile, Allred attempted to position himself as a moderate. In 2018, the last time Cruz was on the ballot, he narrowly won re-election against Beto O’Rourke.
This debate gave Allred, a former NFL player, a chance to introduce himself to a broader audience in Texas. He has focused his campaign on protecting reproductive rights and has been critical of the state’s abortion ban. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned constitutional protections for abortion in 2022.
Joana Campos es abogada y editora con más de 10 años de experiencia en la gestión de proyectos de desarrollo internacional, enfocada en la sostenibilidad y el impacto social positivo. Actualmente dirige JC Editorial, donde ha coordinado la edición y distribución de libros de reconocidos autores internacionales y la logística de numerosas giras nacionales. Anteriormente, trabajó como abogada corporativa, especializándose en derecho penal y corporativo. Joana es licenciada en Derecho por la Universidad de Guadalajara.
Joana Campos is a lawyer and editor with over 10 years of experience in managing international development projects, focusing on sustainability and positive social impact. She currently leads JC Editorial, where she has coordinated the editing and distribution of books by renowned international authors and managed the logistics of numerous national tours. Previously, she worked as a corporate lawyer, specializing in criminal and corporate law. Joana holds a law degree from the University of Guadalajara.