US Rep. Colin Allred has sought to contrast his record on defending reproductive rights throughout his campaign against Sen. Ted Cruz. (Photos by Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Image & AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
This November, you’ll see two names listed on your ballot for US Senate in Texas: Democrat U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. And while Cruz is the incumbent and has served two terms already, Allred has managed to fundraise a bit more money than his opponent in the first half of the year.
The outcome of this race will not only influence which party controls the Senate (which is currently held by Democrats by one vote), it will also symbolize the strength and direction of each party’s base and their future prospects.
Voting in November and unsure of what either of these candidates stand for? Check out an overview of their policies and their views on critical issues that concern Texans.
Immigration
Allred believes that our current immigration system is broken. He supports immigration reform, including securing the borders, protecting DACA recipients, and providing a pathway to earned citizenship to longtime residents who have obeyed the laws, paid taxes, and who contribute to our economy. In Congress, he’s fought to keep the border and communities surrounding it secure and has voted for the bipartisan Dream and Promise Act to protect young people who only know the US as their homes. Additionally, Allred wants to work with countries across Central and South America to address the root causes of economic instability and violence that fuel migration.
As senator, Cruz has introduced legislation to build a wall on the southern border. He has also supported the Secure the Border Act, which includes a comprehensive plan to invest resources to provide physical and technological border improvements and an increase in manpower assistance to Border Patrol and ICE Enforcement Removal Operations. He’s introduced a comprehensive border security amendment that criminalizes visa overstays by making the first offense a misdemeanor punishable up to a $1,000 fine and the second offense a felony punishable up to a $2,000 fine and two years of imprisonment. He supports reforms to immigration parole, and asylum to prevent uncontrolled migration into the United States. He believes that Texas has an obligation to secure the border for the safety of the country.
Reproductive Rights
Allred believes women should have the freedom to make their own reproductive health care decisions, without interference from the government. He strongly opposes the overturning of Roe v. Wade and has spoken out against Texas’ extreme law that bans abortion at 20 weeks and offers no exceptions, no matter the case. Allred voted against the Born-Alive Abortions Survivors Act that would enact restrictions against medical intervention even when abortions are performed because the life of the woman is at risk He’s also worked to expand access to affordable birth control and over-the-counter contraception to reduce teen pregnancy and give women more control over their bodies by voting against anti-abortion legislation.
Cruz is a long-standing supporter for extreme bans on abortion, backing the repeal of Roe v. Wade that he believes will save the lives of millions of innocent babies. He’s spoken on the floor in favor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would make it unlawful to perform an abortion if the estimated post-fertilization age of a fetus is 20 weeks or more, and led a proposal with Congressman Jody Hice asking that mifepristone, a “dangerous” chemical abortion drug, be removed from market. Additionally, Ted Cruz is leading a charge to protect access to in vitro fertilization through the IVF Protection Act, which would make states ineligible to receive Medicaid funding if they ban IVF. This would upend IVF in Texas, as this act would “protect both life and IVF.”
Healthcare
In Congress, Allred is an advocate for expanding access to health care and lowering the costs of medical expenses. His first act in Congress was to stand up to partisan attacks on the Affordable Care Act, which maintains protections for people with pre-existing health conditions and expands coverage for working families. Allred has also fought to lower drug costs for Texas seniors, such as putting a cap on out-of-pocket costs, capping the cost of insulin, and allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription costs to drive down prices. His priorities are to expand Medicaid, putting affordable and accessible health care in place for all Texans, investing in addiction treatment services, and holding big pharmaceutical companies accountable for price gouging and denials of treatment.
Since his first day in office, Cruz has been a leading voice for repealing Obamacare by attacking the Affordable Care act and through his 21-hour floor speech in support of defunding Obamacare in 2013. He is also fighting to make meaningful reforms to allow individuals to purchase insurance across state lines, and make healthcare more personable, portable, and affordable. He is against federal vaccine mandates and introduced the Parental Rights Protection Act to prohibit the federal government and any entity receiving federal funds from requiring COVID-19 vaccines for minors.
Gun Reform
Allred supports the right for responsible, law-abiding Texans to own guns for a variety of reasons. Following the Uvalde tragedy, he voted to help pass the most significant gun violence reduction bill in a generation and implemented reforms, such as expanding background checks, closing the boyfriend loop, and expanding mental health services to reach the people who need it and find alternative solutions to those who need it. Allred finds the rate of gun deaths in the state unacceptable and wants to bring Texans together to find solutions that will simultaneously protect our constitutional rights and save lives.
Senator Cruz has voted against gun safety bills and instead wishes to target and prosecute felons and criminals trying to illegally buy guns, while also making schools hire more police officers who are trained to prevent school violence. Cruz has fought to pass the Securing Our Schools Act and the Protect Our Children’s Schools Act that would improve school security, including funding enhanced school security and doubling the number of school resource officers in America’s schools. He opposes a ban on semi-automatic rifles, as he believes that disarming law-abiding citizens doesn’t prevent crime and won’t allow people to defend themselves and their loved ones.
Jobs and Economic Growth
Allred has been an advocate for small businesses and raising wages for workers. He is a strong supporter of job apprenticeship programs that help young people get trained in the skills required to meet the needs of our economy. Additionally, he’s secured over $14 million for local institutions to help support and expand their job training efforts. He strongly opposes cuts to Social Security and Medicare to ensure a secure retirement for every Texan. In Congress, Allred has helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that helps repair and rebuild our infrastructure, creating thousands of Texas jobs. He has also helped grow our energy industry, voted for the Paycheck Fairness Act which ensures women get equal pay for equal work, pushed for a raise to the federal minimum wage, and voted to bring American high-tech manufacturing back to Texas.
Cruz is a strong advocate for pro-growth policies and has introduced legislation to eliminate job-killing regulations so Texas’ small business owners can create more job opportunities for the communities they serve. He’s voted against raising the debt ceiling by insisting any increase be accompanied by structural reforms. Cruz supports free trade, wants to implement a flat tax for all citizens, opposes a higher minimum wage, and wants to reduce government interference in the private sector.
Check out this guide for other questions you might have on these candidates.
