Senate Democrats Commit Multimillion-Dollar Investment to Boost Colin Allred's Bid Against Ted Cruz

In a strategic move ahead of the 2024 elections, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has announced a multimillion-dollar investment in U.S. Rep. Colin Allred's bid to challenge incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas. The DSCC confirmed the funding on Thursday, signaling a heightened focus on flipping the Texas Senate seat in what is expected to be one of the most expensive races in state history.

The investment is part of a broader DSCC effort, which also includes Florida, where Sen. Rick Scott faces a tight re-election battle. DSCC Chair Sen. Gary Peters said in a statement that "Senate Democrats are expanding the map and going on offense," targeting Cruz and Scott due to their damaged standings in their respective states. Peters emphasized that Democrats have strong candidates running effective campaigns, and the committee is accelerating its efforts in both states, as reported by The Hill.

The DSCC's multimillion-dollar investment will be primarily used in television ads designed to increase Allred's name recognition across the state, which the Texas Tribune describes as one of the most expensive media markets in the country. Allred's campaign has already been focusing on saturating these media markets. The U.S. Rep., who was relatively unknown statewide when he entered the race, has already built a substantial campaign, raising over $41 million by the end of June and surpassing Cruz in fundraising totals.

Polling reflects a competitive race, with a Morning Consult poll recently placing Allred slightly ahead of Cruz. This is the first major public poll to show Allred leading, according to the Texas Tribune. Despite this, Cruz has warned that the race could cost between $100 million and $150 million. In response to the DSCC's backing, Allred's campaign manager, Paige Hutchinson, expressed confidence in the campaign's momentum, stating that Allred has earned widespread support from Texans.

However, Cruz remains a strong opponent, backed by a well-funded campaign, a significant Republican base, and support from the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Cruz's tight race for re-election against Democrat Beto O'Rourke back in 2018, was a lesson learned for Texas Republicans, who are seemingly not sub-estimating their Democrat opponent this time around.

The 2018 race marked the closest a Democrat has come to winning a Texas Senate seat since 1988. Texas, once a solidly Democratic state, began shifting to Republican control in 1961 with the election of the first statewide Republican. Since 1988, no Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in Texas.

As the 2024 election approaches, the Texas Senate race is shaping up to be one of the most expensive and closely watched contests in the country. The Texas Tribune noted that both parties recognize the high stakes, not just in terms of Texas but also in their broader efforts to control the U.S. Senate, with several vulnerable Democratic seats also up for grabs across the country.