Ted Cruz faces uphill battle against Democratic challenger Colin Allred

Claire Khan March 3, 2024

Texas – In the Texas Senate race, Ted Cruz, a Republican, is in a tight competition with his likely Democratic opponent, according to a poll. A survey by the University of Texas at Tyler shows that Cruz and Colin Allred, a Texas Representative who’s leading to be the Democratic candidate in November, are both at 41% support among potential voters. There’s still 12% of people undecided.

Ted Cruz barely kept his seat in 2018

Back in 2018, Cruz barely kept his Senate seat after a tough fight with Beto O’Rourke, winning by a little over 2.6%. With the November elections coming, Cruz has told Republican voters that Democrats are aiming for his seat as they try to maintain their power in the Senate. The same survey suggests that Cruz isn’t as popular in Texas compared to Allred.

The numbers indicate that 48% of respondents have a negative or somewhat positive view of Cruz, with 39% approving of him, putting his popularity at a negative nine points. On the other hand, Allred is viewed favorably by 30%, with 18% viewing him unfavorably, which gives him a positive rating of 12 points.

Still, almost 30% of people say they don’t know enough about Allred to have an opinion, which could change as the election campaign heats up. Both Cruz’s and Allred’s teams were reached out for comments. In an interview with Fox News in February, Cruz mentioned that he’s in a “battleground” race and highlighted that Democrats see him as a major target.

Cruz emphasized his commitment to fighting for law, the Constitution, and border security, despite facing challenges from his opponents. Another poll showed Cruz and Allred at a tie, with both getting 44% support from likely voters.

Ted Cruz remains the favorite to win the race again

Despite the tight race, analysts from Race to the White House predict Cruz has about a 71% chance of winning in November, with Allred at a 29% chance.

The University of Texas at Tyler conducted this poll with 1,167 registered voters from February 18-26, and it has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2%.