Texas Senator Ted Cruz said the Democrats will strive to flip his seat at November’s elections.
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Cruz suggested that Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have made him their “number one target” while also noting that billionaire philanthropist George Soros is funding a PAC that will spend millions trying to turn Texas into a Blue state.
The Democrats managing to flip the Texas seat currently held by Cruz would be a major boost to the party as it hopes to retain control of the upper chamber, where it currently holds a 51-49 seat majority including three Independents who caucus with them.
A recent National Public Affairs poll of likely voters suggests that Cruz’s expected Democratic challenger in November’s Senate election, Texas Rep. Colin Allred, is currently neck and neck with the Republican incumbent, with both on 44 percent.
Samuel Corum/Getty Images
All other recent Texas Senate polls show the Republican winning the race. A Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston/YouGov poll conducted in January showed that Crux would beat Allred by nine points (48 percent to 39 percent) in a 2024 Texas Senate election.
According to forecasters Race to the White House, Cruz has a 70 percent chance of winning November’s race, with Allred given a 29 percent likelihood.
Cruz has been contacted for further comment via email outside business hours.
Allred’s Senate campaign is outraising Cruz, with the Democrat receiving millions more that the Republican in the previous two quarters.
In 2018, former Democratic Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke ran a fiercely competitive Senate race against Cruz, eventually losing to the Republican by a narrow margin of just over 2.6 points in the historically Red state.
Speaking with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, Cruz suggested that the GOP will be victorious in November’s elections as Donald Trump will win the presidential election, the party will increase its majority in the House, and “critically” will retake control of the Senate.
“I will say my race here in Texas is a battleground race,” Cruz said.
“The Democrats are spending over $100 million. Chuck Schumer has made clear I’m his number one target, George Soros is pouring millions of dollars into the state of Texas.
“My last race I won by less than three points because I’m the Democrats’ top target,” Cruz added. “I’m going to keep fighting for the rule of law, for the Constitution, for the Bill of Rights, and I’m going to keep fighting to secure the border. Even as we see these radicals undermine our safety.”
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.