Democrat Colin Allred and Republican Ted Cruz met on Tuesday for the only debate of the US Senate campaign in Texas. (Image courtesy WFAA)
The two candidates for a US Senate seat in Texas tangled over abortion, immigration, and transgender rights. They also traded barbs in a very Texas way.
If the debate between Rep. Colin Allred and Sen. Ted Cruz came across as more “Cancún Cruz” and “Kamala Colin,” you’re not wrong. But the hour-long slugfest also highlighted sharp differences between the two on abortion, immigration, and transgender rights while offering quips you’ll only find in a Texas debate.
With three weeks to go in a US Senate race that’s within the margin of error in most polls, Allred and Cruz offered their takes on issues important to Texans — and some that aren’t — during the debate hosted by WFAA in Dallas. The exchanges were often testy, sometimes polite, and occasionally personal in a race that’s generated a staggering $132 million in fundraising.
Cruz tries to tie Allred to Kamala Harris
Allred, the Dallas Democrat hoping to keep Cruz from a third term, was aggressive from the opening moments of the debate, poking Cruz for his infamous trip to Cancún during Texas’ winter disaster in 2021.
“I’m the exact opposite of Sen. Cruz, who is the most extreme senator in the United States Senate, maybe the most extreme in the last 30 years,” Allred said. “But that’s not enough. He’s also only focused on himself. That’s how you can go to Cancún when millions of Texans need you and hundreds are dying. The truth is, we don’t have to be embarrassed by our senator.”
As much as Allred reminded voters of Cruz’s winter storm misstep — at least four times — Cruz often sounded like he was debating Vice President Kamala Harris, repeatedly trying to link Allred with the Democratic presidential candidate.
“Understand at home, Colin Allred is Kamala Harris,” Cruz said. “Their records are the same. I’ve served with both of them. They voted in favor of open borders over and over and over again and now they are desperately trying to hide that from the voters.”
@courierdfw In a testy exchange during their debate on Tuesday, Rep. Colin Allred pledged to restore reproductive rights for Texas women. Allred and Cruz debated for the first — and likely only — time in their razor-thin race for US Senate.
Allred: ‘You’re not pro-life’
Cruz and Allred tangled over abortion and reproductive rights, an issue that’s played a pivotal role throughout the campaign. More than half of Texas voters say the state’s near-total abortion ban — with no exceptions for rape or incest — goes too far.
Allred wants a return to Roe v. Wade, which the US Supreme Court overturned in 2022. Cruz has called the Texas ban “perfectly reasonable” and side-stepped his positions on any abortion ban exceptions during Tuesday’s debate, saying it’s an issue decided by Texas lawmakers.
Battle over the border
Cruz dinged Allred for repeatedly calling the border wall “racist” in 2018, while Allred criticized Cruz for blocking a $20 billion bipartisan border bill earlier this year. Cruz has criticized the measure — which was negotiated by conservatives in the Senate — as “political cover” for Democrats to claim they addressed border issues.
The issue provided one of the most tense exchanges of the debate. Allred used it to deliver the most Texas barb of the evening.
“We have a phrase for this in Texas — all hat and no cattle. That’s what Sen. Cruz is,” Allred said, underscoring what he views as Cruz’s refusal to solve problems.
Targeting transgender students
The candidates also sparred over transgender equality, a culture war issue Cruz has reignited throughout the campaign. He released another ad targeting transgender students on Tuesday ahead of the debate.
Cruz criticized Allred for his support of the Equality Act, which barred gender discrimination in public places. In 2023, Allred voted against the Republican-pushed Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023, which cut federal funds for athletic programs that allowed trans students to compete on sports teams consistent with their gender identity. Cruz attacked Allred for that vote, too.
“Four times he has come out for men playing in women’s sports, for boys playing in girls’ sports,” Cruz said. “Congressman Allred was an NFL linebacker. It is not fair for a man to compete against women.”
Allred dismissed Cruz’s rhetoric as a “Hail Mary” attempt to distract voters.
“He wants you thinking about kids in bathrooms so you’re not thinking about women in hospitals because it’s indefensible,” Allred said.
