Ted Cruz exposed Colin Allred in Texas Senate debate: 'Same radical agenda as Kamala Harris'

Ted Cruz went head-to-head with Colin Allred in the only debate in the Senate race in Texas. The Republican, who will seek his third term in the Senate in November, criticized the Democrat for his congressional record, paired him with Kamala Harris and asserted that his goal is to "keep Texas like Texas."

While Cruz's race seemed fairly straightforward at first, in the final weeks before the election, the polls began to even out slightly. In this context, the candidates clashed at the WFAA studios in Dallas.

For a little over an hour, the Republican tried to expose Allred's progressive agenda and compared him to Harris and Nancy Pelosi. He even made a website available so voters could verify his sayings live.

Southern border and women's sports at the center of the debate

One of the most developed topics of the debate was, of course, the southern border. Cruz used this topic to link Allred to the White House and to remind the audience of the Democrat's shifting positions on the border wall.

Indeed, he brought up when Allred described the border wall as "racist." "He's been consistent. He voted against the wall. Not once, not twice, three times. Every time there's a serious measure in the House to secure the border, Colin Allred votes no," he continued, referencing, for example, the Police Act, the SAVE Act and the Border Security Act.

In turn, he described the border crisis unleashed by the Biden-Harris administration. "1.5 million illegal immigrants have come into this country under Kamala Harris and Colin Allred’s open border policies. Congressman Allred votes no to protecting our elections and ensuring that people don’t vote illegally – THAT is a threat to democracy," Cruz fired back.

"Just so they understand at home: Colin Allred is Kamala Harris. Their records are the same. (...) They're running on the same radical agenda," he added.

To puff up his chest on the southern border, Cruz recalled that he worked "side by side" with former President Donald Trump to achieve the lowest illegal immigration influx in "45 years."

Allred instead went after the Republican senator for legislation the White House worked on with Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) and criticized his rival for not going along with it. He described him as an "extreme," ineffective senator and a "danger to democracy."

As for women's sports, Allred assured that he is not in favor of "boys playing girls' sports." However, Cruz reminded him that he had voted against the Women and Girls in Sports Protection Act and the Parental Bill of Rights.

"You know, my youngest daughter plays volleyball. It's not fair for a biological boy or man, a teenage boy, to spike the volleyball ladder, and he has voted repeatedly in favor of that. You know what he argued for? Military bases should have drag shows and should be able to fly a transgender flag above it. Look, call me old fashioned, I think the only flag that should fly above our military base should be the American flag," the Republican senator insisted.

"Ted Cruz dominated the debate"

Once the event was over, some of Cruz's colleagues congratulated him on social media. One of them was John Cornyn, with whom he has shared the Texas delegation in the Senate for more than ten years.

"Tonight Ted Cruz dominated the debate. Well done, Ted. Looking forward to continuing to work with you to Keep Texas Red. Texans, early voting starts Monday!" he tweeted on his X account.

He was joined by Republican Katie Britt, a senator from Alabama. "I am proud to stand with Ted Cruz to support continued nationwide IVF access so that moms and dads across Alabama, Texas, and America can start and grow their families," she posted on the same social network.