Texas Senate Showdown: Final Polls Show Cruz-Allred Race Hits Fever Pitch
In a high-stakes battle that could reshape Texas politics, Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Colin Allred are making their final pushes as polls suggest a competitive yet Republican-leaning race ahead of tomorrow’s election.
Recent polls clearly show that Cruz has an advantage, but the margin is still narrow enough to keep both campaigns competitive. The latest Morning Consult survey shows Cruz with a 3-point lead, while forecasting site 538 gives the incumbent Republican an 83% chance of victory.
“This is no longer a battle between Republican and Democrat,” Cruz declared at a packed McAllen rally yesterday. “This is a battle between sane and crazy.” The Senator has focused heavily on border security and energy policy in his final campaign stretch.
Meanwhile, Allred, speaking to supporters at Dallas’s Kessler Theater, fired back: “You don’t have to spend all of your time pitting folks against each other. That’s my biggest issue with Ted Cruz—he spent 12 years not trying to serve us but getting attention for himself.”
The Money Game Numbers tell a compelling story: Democrats have poured over $87 million into the race since Labor Day, while Republicans have invested more than $71 million. This massive spending underscores the race’s national importance as Democrats seek to maintain their slim Senate majority.
Key Battlegrounds Cruz’s campaign has made strategic stops in Latino-heavy areas like El Paso and McAllen, where over 80% of residents are Hispanic. This push reflects Republicans’ growing efforts to court Latino voters, who have shown increasing willingness to split from their traditional Democratic alignment.
Hot-Button Issues The candidates have clashed sharply on several key issues:
- Immigration: Cruz calls the border situation “the worst invasion in our nation’s history,” while Allred pushes for comprehensive reform.
- Energy Policy: Cruz touts his role as “the leading defender of oil and gas,” while Allred pledges to protect energy jobs while supporting clean alternatives.
- Abortion Rights: Allred Hammers Allred attacks Cruz on Texas’s strict abortion ban, citing recent tragic cases.
- January 6: Allred frequently reminds voters of Cruz’s objection to certifying some 2020 election results.
Historical Context Cruz won his last race in 2018 against Beto O’Rourke by just 2.6 points. However, the political landscape has shifted since then, with Republicans making gains among Latino voters. Trump won Texas in 2020 by 5.6 points, while Senator John Cornyn secured reelection by 9.6 points.
Looking Ahead Both campaigns are putting in extra effort to increase voter turnout as Election Day approaches. While Cruz maintains a polling advantage, Democrats see Texas as one of their few pickup opportunities this cycle. If Allred pulls off an upset, it could help offset potential Democratic losses in states like West Virginia and Montana.
Voter turnout in key areas, such as Democratic strongholds like Dallas for Allred, and border regions where Cruz hopes to build on recent Republican gains among Latino voters, may determine the outcome. Whatever the result, this race has already made history as one of Texas’s most expensive and closely watched Senate contests.
Would you like me to elaborate on any particular aspect of the race?