Ted Cruz and Colin Allred make a strong pitch to Texas voters in the Senate race

JOURDANTON, Texas — Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred make their final pitches to Texas voters in a wild ride through the state near the end of one of the most expensive in the country and followed the Senate races closely.

Cruzwho gets into the next competition after narrowly re-elected to a second term in 2018is leaning toward conservative promises to tighten border measures and attack pro-trans policies, including at a bus tour rally near San Antonio on Tuesday.

Allred, who will become Texas’ first black senator, spent the day traveling through Houston, the state’s largest city and a crucial Democratic stronghold for the defeated congressman, who needs a big showing from loyal Democrats to unseat the incumbent. At a rally at Texas Southern University, a historically black college, the three-term congressman emphasized his support for abortion rights and accused Cruz of limiting women’s access to reproductive health care.

Statewide races in Texas have been out of reach for Democrats for decades, but recent signs that the race could tighten have some thinking 2024 could finally be the year. It’s an ambitious goal, but one of few opportunities for Democrats in a year in which they are defending twice as many Senate seats as Republicans nationally.

A surprise victory in Texas would dramatically improve their chances of retaining their narrow majority in the Senate.

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

Last week, Democrats supporting Allred announced $5 million advertising campaign about women’s reproductive freedom.

At one of his stops in Houston, Allred asked voters to turn the page on divisive policies and look at leaders who can get something done.

“I don’t waste my time dropping bombs,” he said. “I work hard not because bipartisanship is the end goal, but because that’s how we get things done.”

About 250 miles (402 kilometers) to the west, at a rally in the rural southern Texas town of Jourdanton, Cruz cast himself as the smart candidate.

“This is no longer a battle between Republicans and Democrats,” he said. “This is a battle between the sane and the crazy.”

Dust swirled in and around the Jourdanton warehouse on a warm October day as Cruz supporters donned “Make America Great Again” hats and waved signs with Cruz’s “Save Texas, Texas” slogan. Cruz stood on the bed of a pickup truck and gave a nearly 40-minute speech, calling the race a battle between tradition and change.

The Senate race has drawn the most attention and money in Texas as Allred, a three-term congressman from Dallas, seeks to unseat Cruz and do what no Democrat has done in 30 years: win a statewide election in the second largest state. population of the state. state. Cruz sought to connect Allred with Vice President Kamala Harris on immigration, LGBTQ+ issues and the economy.

In a state with some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, Cruz has largely avoided the topic.

Cruz narrowly defeated Beto O’Rourke in 2018 in his last campaign, and Democrats see the Senate race as an opportunity to take advantage of Texas’ changing demographics and the incumbent’s relative unpopularity.

Sarah Britzke, a retired teacher from nearby La Vernia, said she doesn’t expect Cruz to lose. “I would be surprised,” she said.

“I have nothing against the guy,” Scott Smith said of Allred. However, Smith said he believes Cruz is pursuing stronger economic and immigration policies.

Allred tried to attract moderate voters with a low-key campaign focused on reproductive care, a winning issue for Democrats because 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision to strip federal protections for abortion remains unpopular among most Americans.

On Tuesday night in Houston, Allred repeatedly attacked Cruz for his trip to Mexico in 2021 during a deadly winter storm that left millions without power. The trip to Texas’ largest city comes just days after Allred joined Harris and Beyoncé. at a rally on Friday nightthe vice president’s first and only stop in Texas. For much of his campaign, the former NFL linebacker and civil rights lawyer kept Harris at a distance, saying he was focused on his own campaign.

He spoke to a half-filled auditorium of about 300 people, where he worked to drum up support among black voters, a historically strong voting bloc for Democrats. Allred did not emphasize large rallies in his campaign, which upset some Democrats early in his campaign, although he increased the number of trips later.

“Everything is bigger in Texas except our senator. It’s too small for our state. His vision is too limited for us,” Allred said.

Allred was joined at Tuesday’s rally by Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, who told the crowd that Allred will continue to fight for student debt relief and women’s reproductive rights. Allred said he will be a senator for all Texans and will continue his efforts to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans.

Kamerin Joseph, 27, said he is voting for Allred because the congressman supports women’s reproductive rights.

“This is very important to me,” he said. “I mean, you hear stories about women having to watch their children die and women having to go through complications themselves.”

Joseph, who works for Protest, Organize, Participate, a Houston-based nonprofit that engages young people in politics, said that after knocking on doors and talking to people, he thinks many people are aware of the Senate race and the potential for change. .

“I really feel like we’re going to turn Texas blue this year. I truly feel that way,” Joseph said. “I feel like the average Texan wants Colin Allred. You know, they’re ready for Cruz to leave.”

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Lozano reported from Houston. ___

Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.