Incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz confronted off towards challenger Democratic Rep. Colin Allred in a passionate and at instances acrimonious debate hosted by ABC affiliate WFAA in Dallas, Texas, Tuesday evening that touched upon a wide range of points animating the closely-watched race.

Cruz, a staunch conservative and supporter of former President Donald Trump who’s working for a 3rd time period, is locked in a good race with Allred, a former NFL linebacker on his third time period within the Home of Representatives. Cruz leads Allred by simply 4 share factors, based on 538’s Senate polling common for Texas as of Tuesday evening.

Cruz’s fundraising has far outpaced Allred’s, nevertheless, so has his assist from exterior teams spending cash on the race, based on an evaluation by OpenSecrets. Democrats try to maintain Texas in play, together with with a fundraising push introduced in late September, though they haven’t gained a statewide race in Texas in a long time.

Cruz was requested by the moderators the place he stands on the difficulty of abortion, given the state of Texas’ strict abortion ban and his earlier assist for a invoice in Congress that will have exceptions for rape and incest – and newer feedback supporting Texas’ legislation.

“Abortion is a matter that many Texans, many People, care deeply about, and it is a problem that folks of fine religion can disagree… I agree with america Supreme Courtroom that beneath our Structure, the way in which we resolve questions like that, questions on which we’ve got actual and real disagreements, is on the poll field, is voting, and that is why the state of the legislation now could be that the legislature in Austin units the legal guidelines in Texas,” Cruz stated.

Cruz added that there’s “consensus” in Texas on points resembling parental consent earlier than their dependents can get an abortion; after which swiped at Allred: “He is voted in favor of placing down Texas’ legislation and legalizing abortion as much as and together with the eighth and ninth month of being pregnant. That is excessive, and it isn’t the place the folks of Texas are.”

“Hear, it is time to lastly inform the reality right here. Sen. Cruz simply regarded right into a digital camera and lied to Texans about my place,” Allred stated, as he pivoted to referencing the tales of Kate Cox and Amanda Zurawski, each of whom obtained nationwide consideration for his or her challenges getting abortion care due to Texas’ strict legislation.

“Let’s be very clear. It is best to look into the digital camera and communicate to Kate Cox, who’s watching proper now, and clarify to her why you stated that this legislation that you simply stated is completely affordable, why she was compelled to depart her two kids behind and flee our state to get the care that she wanted.”

Allred framed his personal place as reasonable: “Once I’m america Senate, we’ll restore a lady’s proper to decide on. We’ll make Roe v. Wade the legislation of the land once more, and we’ll make these tales of seeing these horrific experiences occurring throughout our state one thing of the previous.”

Requested straight if he helps or opposes exceptions for rape or incest, Cruz criticized Allred once more on his voting file on associated points, after which added, “Now, as for what the legislation must be in Texas, that is a call that will likely be made by the state legislature. You realize, Congressman Allred is working all types of adverts saying that I made this determination.

“I do not serve within the state legislature. I am not the governor. The oldsters that make the legal guidelines listed here are the state legislature, the governor. He is aware of that, however he is attempting to deceive the voters of Texas.”

On border safety and immigration, the moderators requested Allred why he had beforehand criticized Trump’s plans for increasing the border wall however supported President Joe Biden’s plan so as to add to the border wall. Allred pointed to his circle of relatives historical past, together with his grandfather’s work as a customs agent, as to why he is aware of the border is a critical situation, and criticized Cruz for treating the difficulty in a showy means and for not supporting the bipartisan border invoice that has didn’t advance within the Senate.

“He is by no means there for us after we want him. When the lights went out within the power capital of the world, he went to Cancun; on January 6, when a mob was storming the Capitol, he was hiding a provide closet. And when the hardest border safety invoice in a era got here up in america Senate, he took it down. We do not have to have a Senator like this,” Allred stated, referencing previous criticisms of Cruz as nicely.

Allred additionally emphasised that he believes in “bodily boundaries” as a part of a method for securing the border, along with different provisions he supported within the border invoice.

Cruz, in response, hit again by drawing extra consideration to feedback Allred made prior to now criticizing the right-wing’s concentrate on border points: “I wish to word as soon as once more, in his complete reply, Congressman Allred made zero reference to something he is truly performed in workplace … Congressman Allred has stated publicly, for those who imagine border safety issues, he thinks you are a racist. He calls the border wall, quote, that racist border wall, and he has pledged to tear down that racist border wall personally.”

Cruz additionally added, “When Donald Trump was president, I labored hand in hand with President Trump to safe the border, and we achieved unbelievable success. We produced the bottom price of unlawful immigration in 45 years. That is what Joe Biden and Kamala Harris inherited. It is what Colin Allred inherited, and so they intentionally broke it and opened the border, and Texas is paying the value. ” (In response to PolitiFact, throughout Trump’s time period in workplace, border apprehensions sunk to a 45-year-low in 2017 however rose once more the subsequent yr.)

Allred responded, “Hear, what I’ve all the time stated is that we’ve got to make it possible for as we’re speaking about border safety, that we do not fall into demonizing and you may take one thing out of context from seven years in the past, which is what he is attempting to do, however he would not wish to speak about what he stated this yr, which is that we do not want a border invoice.”

Cruz responded by saying that Allred did not deal with the bottom stage of unlawful immigration claims and “did not deal with the truth that it did not take a invoice for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and Colin Allred to interrupt the border. It took a president refusing to implement the legislation.”

Cruz and Allred additionally clashed over discussions about overseas coverage and the Israel-Hamas conflict, reasonably priced housing, the financial system and in-vitro fertilization.

One subject the moderators introduced up was transgender rights, provided that Cruz and teams supporting him have begun working commercials alleging that Allred helps positions resembling permitting boys to play in women’ sports activities.

“You do not have to be a former NFL linebacker to acknowledge a Hail Mary whenever you see one — it is a determined last-second try by Senator Cruz to distract you as a result of he cannot defend his personal file,” Allred responded.

“Hear, I am a dad. I am a Christian. In fact, I do not assist these ridiculous issues that he is speaking about, however what he needs you desirous about is youngsters in loos, so you are not desirous about ladies in hospitals, as a result of it is indefensible.”

The Advocate lately reported that LGBTQ advocacy teams have criticized or questioned Allred for this line of protection, saying that he’s himself leaning into anti-transgender language.

“He has come out for males enjoying in ladies’s sports activities, for boys enjoying in women’ sports activities. He’s a co-sponsor, and he voted for a legislation referred to as the Equality Act. The Equality Act mandated that boys be capable to go in women’ loos and their locker rooms and their altering rooms. He voted for it,” Cruz alleged afterward.

“I do not assist boys enjoying women’ sports activities. … What I believe is that people shouldn’t be discriminated towards, and what Senator Cruz ought to attempt to clarify to you is why he thinks they need to,” Allred stated, later including that the Equality Act, which handed within the U.S. Home in 2022, had bipartisan assist and was about non-discrimination.

The moderators requested Cruz about what he would say to oldsters of transgender youth who say these commercials are harmful towards them.

“Look, we should always defend each little one, and we should always defend each particular person. I’ve advocated defending the security of each little one, of each particular person, no matter race, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identification. Everybody deserves to be protected towards violent crime, towards discrimination. However Congressman Allred hasn’t stated that. He hasn’t voted for that.”

Regardless of the acrimony they leveled at one another in the course of the debate, the candidates did shake one another’s fingers at each the beginning and finish of the talk, and the moderators thanked them for a “spirited, and animated, and respectful debate.”