Democratic super PAC enters Texas Senate race to boost Colin Allred against Ted Cruz

“Senator Ted Cruz poses a danger to the people of Texas, and that is never more evident than in his support of a deadly abortion ban,” Senate Majority PAC President JB Poersch said in a statement. “In such an important election, the Senate Majority PAC is committed to ensuring Texans understand the decision they face this November. That's why we're going on the offensive so that in a few months the Texans will have a trustworthy, bipartisan senator in Colin Allred and can put Cancún Cruz in his place.

Cruz linked Allred to Vice President Kamala Harris in a recent interview.

“My record and Colin Allred’s are dramatically different,” Cruz said. “If you want to understand one thing about this race: Colin Allred is Kamala Harris.”

Democrats are pushing to retain their slim Senate majority and a surprise win in Texas could soften a defeat in a red state as vulnerable Democratic incumbents defend seats in Montana and Ohio.

Democrats have long been optimistic about making gains in Texas as the GOP's lead in the presidential election has shrunk in recent election cycles. President Donald Trump won Texas by 6 points in 2020, the party's narrowest margin since 1996.

The state's lean and expensive media markets for Republicans have made it difficult for Democrats to pivot, but the party also sees Cruz as particularly vulnerable. Former Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke came within three points of defeating Cruz in 2018.

The issue of abortion has already been at the forefront of Allred's campaign, in which Cruz is often criticized for his past support of abortion bans and his refusal to say whether he would support exceptions for rape or incest or to protect women's lives.

“He bears sole responsibility for this abortion ban here in Texas,” Allred said of Cruz in a recent interview, referring to the state's ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy that went into effect after the Supreme Court handed down the landmark Roe v. Wade had picked up.

Allred has sought to portray Cruz as hyperpartisan and extreme, criticizing him for his support of objections to the 2020 election results and regularly reminding voters of Cruz's vacation in Cancún, Mexico, during a historic winter storm that left millions of his voters without power .

“He won’t even stand up to someone who attacks his family. And we know he's not going to fight for everyday Texans, and so this is a pretty clear divide here,” said Allred, who was first elected to the House in 2018. “I am someone who has nonpartisan, genuine beliefs that are real over the course of six years and against Senator Cruz, who has been one of the most extreme senators in the last 30 years, not just in this Senate.”

Cruz has criticized Senate Republican leadership for failing to provide him with resources for his re-election campaign. The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC allied with Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has not yet given money to Texas, even after Cruz and his allies asked it to do so.

Since Labor Day, Democrats have spent a total of $57.2 million on advertising during the campaign, thanks almost entirely to Allred's campaign, which has spent $44 million on advertising alone, according to advertising tracking firm AdImpact.

Republicans, meanwhile, spent $47.5 million, with Cruz's campaign putting $17.2 million on the air. Cruz received help from a supportive super PAC called Truth and Courage PAC, which spent $18.5 million on advertising in the race, according to AdImpact.

Asked if it was time for McConnell to invest in Texas, Cruz told NBC News on Monday: “Of course it is.”

“Since I first ran, the national Democrats, the leadership, the Washington swamp, the lobbyists have never supported me,” he said.

Cruz and McConnell have a turbulent history in the Senate, particularly after Cruz called McConnell a “liar” on the Senate floor in 2015. McConnell also publicly disagreed with Cruz's objections to the electoral vote count on January 6, 2021, calling her a “liar.” “totally irresponsible effort” and said Cruz and other senators who supported the objections were “big offenders.”

While Cruz has tried to link Allred to Harris, Allred is not distancing himself from her. Harris will deviate from visits to the traditional battleground states and hold a rally with Allred in Houston on Friday, where Beyoncé is also expected to perform.

“This is a very different election than at the presidential level,” Allred told NBC News. “And that goes for every Texan to me: If you don't want a senator who will abandon you when you need it most, if you don't want a senator who will take away Medicare and Social Security, if you don't want a senator who will If you only focus on yourself, then I hope you can give me a chance as an alternative.”