Colin Allred, Ted Cruz reach end of Senate race that again tests GOP dominance in Texas

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – Republicans Late. Ted Cruzof Texas, tried to fend off an underdog challenge Tuesday from Democratic Rep. Colin Allred in one of the most expensive races of the year, which is testing change in America’s largest red state and could contribute to the battle for control of the US Senate.

Allred, a three-term congressman from Dallas, was in an uphill battle against Cruz, who has urged Republicans to take the race seriously after only narrowly winning his last re-election in 2018. No Democrat has won statewide office in Texas in 30 years, the longest political losing streak of its kind in the US

But changing demographics in Texas — driven by a booming Hispanic population — and shrinking margins of victory for GOP candidates have sustained Democrats’ belief that victories are within reach. Those hopes led Democrats to see Texas as one of their few pickup options in a year in which they defended twice as many Senate seats as Republicans nationally.

Both candidates raised more than $160 million combined in the race.

Allred, who would become Texas’ first black senator, has fueled his upset bid by presenting himself as a moderate choice while mostly keeping a political distance from Vice President Kamala Harris. That hasn’t deterred Cruz from casting his opponent as a political equal to Harris, whose presidential campaign hasn’t made an aggressive play to flip Texas.

Allred, 41, is a former NFL linebacker and civil rights attorney who has made abortion rights one of his top issues in a state that has one of the nation’s most restrictive prohibitions. He campaigned with Texas women who were hospitalized with serious pregnancy complications after the Texas ban took effect and has pledged to help restore the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that guaranteed a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion.

Cruz, who is seeking a third six-year term, has largely avoided the topic on the campaign trail while hammering Allred on the issues of immigration and policies supporting transgender rights. He has called Allred out of touch in Texas, where Democrats control the state’s big cities, but has been shut out of power statewide and at the Texas Capitol, where the GOP holds a commanding majority.

Four in 10 Texas voters said the economy and jobs are the biggest issue facing the country, according to AP VoteCast, a comprehensive survey of more than 110,000 voters nationally, including more than 4,500 voters in Texas. About 2 in 10 Texas voters said immigration is the most pressing issue, and about 1 in 10 cited abortion.

Allred hopes to take advantage of Texas’ changing demographics, which along with the booming Hispanic population also include an increase in black residents and people moving from other states. He also has experience defeating a high-profile Republican incumbent, having entered Congress with a victory over Rep. Pete Sessions, who later ran successfully in another district.

In the late stages of the race, Allred tried to capitalize on some of the Democratic enthusiasm surrounding Harris at the top of the ticket, including appearing at a packed Houston rally with the vice president and superstar Beyoncé. Cruz spent the final week of the race rallying supporters in solid GOP rural and suburban districts that have been key firewalls for Democratic gains in Texas.