Texas Sen. Cruz Secures GOP Nomination, Awaits Democratic Primary Winner
Democrats were closely watching Texas on Super Tuesday in hopes of flipping a U.S. Senate seat. They were curious to see whom voters would nominate to challenge Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who has been viewed as vulnerable after a narrow victory in 2018.
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, a former NFL player and three-term congressman from Dallas, and state Sen. Roland Gutierrez have emerged as the focal points in the primary, as Texas Democrats continue their search for a breakthrough candidate. Texas has not elected a Democrat to a statewide office in 30 years, making it the longest streak of its kind in the U.S.
Despite the historical challenges, Democrats view Texas and Florida as their best opportunities for upsets in November as they aim to maintain their slim 51-49 advantage in the Senate. Seven other Democrats, including state Rep. Carl Sherman, are also vying for the Senate nomination in Texas, with a runoff scheduled for May 28 if no candidate secures a majority.
Cruz faced no significant primary opposition and secured the GOP nomination for a third term on Tuesday.
Allred, who could become Texas’ first Black senator, has raised over $21 million since entering the race, substantially more than his primary rivals. He has largely focused his criticism on Cruz rather than his Democratic challengers during the primary campaign.
The race garnered attention in January when Allred was among 14 House Democrats who supported a Republican resolution criticizing President Joe Biden’s border policies. Gutierrez accused Allred of siding with GOP extremists, while a Cruz spokesperson called the vote a political move. Allred defended his position, emphasizing the need for urgent action on border issues at the federal level.
In the 2018 election, Cruz narrowly defeated Beto O’Rourke by less than 3 percentage points. O’Rourke’s strong showing marked the closest Democrats had come to winning a statewide seat in decades. However, Democrats have struggled to regain momentum since then, with O’Rourke losing by double digits in a subsequent gubernatorial challenge against Greg Abbott in 2022.
“Things are evolving in the state. It takes time,” noted Jared Hockeman, chairman of the Democratic Party in Cameron County along the U.S.-Mexico border. “We are aware of that.”
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