This year, the fight for a Senate seat in Texas is catching a lot of attention. Democrat Colin Allred is going up against Republican Senator Ted Cruz. This isn’t just a challenge for Allred; this race is seen as opportunity for the Democratic Party too. They’re trying to make a breakthrough in Texas, a state that has been dominated by Republicans for a long time. Adding to the drama, President Joe Biden has recently thrown his support behind Allred, aiming to dethrone Ted Cruz.
Unconventional methods
Colin Allred, who serves as the Congressman for Texas’s 32nd district and recently won the Democratic primary in the state, is getting ready to take on Senator Ted Cruz, in office since 2013. Allred is fired up to replace Cruz in the next election. Allred even said that he was open to collaborate with Republican members from Texas just to beat Cruz, who despite being controversial in many occasions, still holds the voters base behind.
A hard task
Ted Cruz has been in the office since 2013. The Texas senator has managed to keep the position for so long mostly because Texas is seen as a stronghold for Republicans. Despite previous efforts from Democrats, they have failed beat Republican candidates. In the 2018 elections, Democrat Beto O’Rourke challenged Cruz and became a national sensation, raising $70 million for his campaign. However, he still lost to Cruz by a narrow margin of 2.6 percent. It’s been 30 years since Democrats won a statewide office in Texas.
Biden publicly supports Allred
Earlier this month, President Joe Biden targeted Texas Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, during a visit to Texas. This was part of a fundraising journey that has brought in millions for Biden’s campaign for re-election. Speaking at a fundraising event in the Dallas residence of attorney Russell Budd, Biden called on contributors to back Colin Allred, the Democrat running for Cruz’s Senate seat.
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“You got to elect Colin”
“Look, let me close with this, because you’re standing,” Biden said. “You know, I couldn’t be — the stakes couldn’t be higher across the board. And with your help, we’re going to win up and down the ticket. That includes here in Texas, because I want to see — you got to elect Colin your next senator. You got to so Ted Cruz joins another loser, Donald Trump,” he added.
More than $2 million raised
Russell Budd, the host of the fundraiser, announced that this event, which was one of two Biden attended in Texas that Thursday, successfully raised $2.5 million. This contribution is part of the funds Biden’s campaign has gathered during his trip across the Western states. In February alone, Biden’s campaign announced it had raised over $53 million, with $155 million available in cash. In contrast, Trump’s campaign appears to be trailing, having raised just $10.9 million in February.
A frequent Biden critic
Cruz, who lost the race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, has been a frequent Biden critic, especially criticizing Biden’s approach to immigration issues along the Texas-Mexico border. The competition between Cruz and Colin Allred, a former professional football player turned Congressman, is showing to be closely contested. Cruz himself has underscored the significance of garnering support for his reelection.
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Seeking support
After Cruz secured the Republican nomination for his Senate seat, he posted on X, formerly Twitter: “I am proud to be the GOP’s decisive nominee for U.S. Senate. Never before has it been more important to unify and fight against the radical left who threaten to change what makes this state great.”
I am proud to be the GOP’s decisive nominee for U.S. Senate.
This race is about our law enforcement officers, our parents, farmers, ranchers, students, oil and gas workers, neighbors, and pastors, who are proud to call the Lone Star State home.
This is about Texas, about…
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 6, 2024
