Exclusive: Colin Allred Wants to Work With Republicans to Defeat Ted Cruz

Congressman Colin Allred, a Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Texas, told Newsweek in an exclusive interview that he wants to work with Republicans to defeat his opponent, Senator Ted Cruz.

Last week, Allred, who currently serves Texas's 32nd district, won his state's Democratic primary, pitting him against GOP incumbent Cruz, who has held his seat since 2013. The Texas Senate race comes amid great political division in America, even within one's own political party.

Allred told Newsweek via email on Friday: "I believe the biggest divide in our country isn't between Republicans and Democrats but between those who still believe in our democracy and those who don't.

"I am building a broad coalition of folks who know we deserve better than Ted Cruz; that includes Democrats and Independents who are ready for new leadership as well as Republicans who think, 'I'm not that kind of Republican and I don't want to be associated with that extremism.'"

Allred criticized his opponent for his far-right views. "Together, we will send a message that Texans want someone who will work for them, and we will reject Ted Cruz who is the most extreme Senator in the country," he said.

Newsweek reached out to Cruz's campaign via phone for comment.

Although Cruz hurled insults at Donald Trump, including calling him "utterly amoral," as they competed against each other in the 2016 primaries, he later became an ally to the former president.

Cruz objected to the certification of Joe Biden's 2020 election win following claims from Trump that the election was stolen from him via widespread voter fraud. There is, however, no evidence to support the former presidents' claims.

After Cruz secured the Republican nomination for his Senate seat last week, he posted on X, formerly Twitter: "I am proud to be the GOP's decisive nominee for U.S. Senate."

He added: "Never before has it been more important to unify and fight against the radical left who threaten to change what makes this state great."

What the Polls Show

Polling ahead of the primary showed mixed outcomes for Cruz and Allred in a potential face-off this November.

In a YouGov/University of Texas poll conducted from February 2 to 12, Cruz was leading Allred by over 10 points (46 to 32 percent). The poll surveyed 1,200 self-declared registered Texas voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.83 percentage points.

Meanwhile, a more recent poll taken between February 18 and 26, found Cruz and Allred tied with 41 percent each. The poll was conducted by the University of Texas at Tyler Center for Opinion Research. It surveyed 1,167 registered voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

An Uphill Battle

Colin is confident that he will win Cruz's seat in November, telling Newsweek: "I'm a fourth generation Texan...people from across this state have shaped my life and I know we are so much better than Ted Cruz makes us out to be. In November, Texas will reject Ted Cruz."

But defeating Cruz is no small feat. During the 2018 election, then-Congressman Beto O'Rourke, Cruz's Democratic challenger, received national buzz as the underdog in the race. He garnered $70 million in campaign contributions, but failed to unseat Cruz by 2.6 percent of the vote.

Democrats currently have a razor-thin majority in the Senate with 51 seats, including three independents who caucus with them. Meanwhile, there are currently 49 Republican senators.

However, according to a consensus forecast map composed by 270toWin, Democrats are projected to lose two seats within their own party and an independent seat, while Republicans gain a seat.

If Allred does unseat Cruz, it could be a huge win for Democrats, but no Democrat has won a statewide office in Texas in 30 years.

Correction 3/24/24, 4:43 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to reflect that Cruz competed against Trump in the 2016 primaries, and not 2015.