On Wednesday night, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Colin Allred went head-to-head, clashing over key issues like immigration, abortion, and transgender rights while exchanging sharp criticism throughout the night. As the tension mounted, the debate revealed clear contrasts between the candidates. Here are some key takeaways from their fiery encounter.

Abortion

Ted Cruz spent 3 minutes pointlessly yapping and running in circles to avoid answering the question of whether he is in support of or opposes abortions in cases of incest and rape. Pressed repeatedly by the debate moderator, Cruz sidestepped, insisting the decision “should be left to the states” rather than taking a personal stance.

“Abortion is an issue that many Texans, many Americans, care deeply about,” Cruz said, adding that “people of good faith can disagree.” However, as moderator Gromer Jeffers pushed him for a clear answer on exceptions, Cruz continued to evade, leaving the contentious question hanging. But we can proudly tell you that he refused to answer this question because he knows that denying abortions in cases of rape and incest are not popular amongst voters in Texas, and even Republicans

NBC News 

Allred was quick to show voters how a real leader should respond. Replying, “It’s not pro-life to deny women care so long that they can’t have children anymore. It’s not pro-life to force a victim of rape to carry their rapist's baby. It’s not pro-life that our maternal mortality has skyrocketed by 56 percent. When Ted Cruz says he’s pro-life, he doesn’t mean yours.”

Immigration

In a heated clash over the U.S.-Mexico border, Colin Allred confronted Senator Ted Cruz for his past critiques on Trump’s border wall. He slammed Cruz for focusing on the border as a political spectacle and failing to back a significant bipartisan border bill in the Senate saying, “He’s never there for us when we need him,” referring to Cruz’s infamous Cancún trip during Texas’s power crisis. He also added, “When the toughest border security bill in a generation came up, he took it down.” 

Cruz attempted to accuse Allred of dismissing border concerns with little evidence and branding the wall as a racist symbol. Allred countered that Cruz’s selective arguments from years-old remarks were an attempt to dodge his numerous failures, and emphasized that border security must avoid “demonizing” communities.

The out-of-touch Senator

PBS News 

Notable moments in the debate hit their peak when Colin Allred took aim at Ted Cruz's actions during the January 6th insurrection, boldly stating, "You can’t be for the mob on January 6th and the officers." Cruz laughed off the accusation, but Allred fired back, “It’s not funny, and you’re a threat to democracy.” This exchange underscored the deep divide between the two candidates—Allred positioning himself as the champion of integrity and accountability, while Cruz, already infamous for abandoning Texas during its 2021 winter storm, seemed out of touch with the gravity of the issues at hand.

Throughout the debate, Allred repeatedly highlighted Cruz's self-serving tendencies and lack of tangible results for Texas, painting the senator as more focused on his political image than the people he represents. From Cruz’s evasiveness on abortion to his lack of support for crucial bipartisan border security efforts, Allred’s message was clear: Texas deserves a leader who shows up in times of crisis and works across the aisle to get things done. With a proven track record of bipartisanship and support from both Democrats and Republicans who value principles over partisanship, Allred made a compelling case that he, not Cruz, is the candidate Texans can trust to fight for their values and protect democracy.

What's next

We’ve got a lot at stake this November. With 34 Senate seats up for grabs including 23 held by Democrats or Independents- the stakes couldn’t be higher. Republicans are determined to seize control of the upper chamber but Democrats are fighting to hold their seats and unseat entrenched Republicans like Ted Cruz who has represented Texas since 2013. But this time, Colin Allred has a fighting chance to break a 30-year drought for Texas Democrats. Allred’s campaign offers a chance to reshape Texas politics and flip the Senate blue. And we can make this happen. 

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