Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s debate performance against Democratic challenger Rep. Colin Allred lit up social media on Tuesday night, and the majority of reactions were anything but favorable for the state’s junior senator. Even longtime Republicans found themselves criticizing Cruz, whose opponent, Allred, appeared to win the night in the eyes of many viewers.
Former George W. Bush strategist Matthew Dowd didn’t hold back in his assessment of the debate. “Wow, @ColinAllredTX just destroyed @tedcruz in the debate tonight,” Dowd wrote on social media. “Showed Cruz has zero integrity, is not a principled conservative, and only looks out for himself. Look forward to voting for Allred during early voting.”
Conservative lawyer George Conway added a bit of humor to the debate aftermath, quipping on X, “Never seen a linebacker punt a senator before.” This remark followed one of the most memorable moments of the debate when Allred, a former NFL linebacker, took a jab at Cruz’s stance on teen sports. “When Cruz starts talking about teen sports, you gotta watch out because the only position he ever played was left out. I’m not trying to be mean but sit this one out,” Allred said.
Allred’s sharp critiques didn’t stop there. Democratic pollster and strategist Matt McDermott noted that Allred had effectively dismantled Cruz’s positions throughout the night. “Colin Allred is having a remarkably effective debate against Ted Cruz. Just eviscerating his all hat and no cattle views on immigration,” McDermott wrote.
Scott Dworkin, co-founder of the Democratic Coalition, was similarly blunt in his post-debate commentary. “Ted Cruz lost the debate to Colin Allred in a landslide,” he wrote. “It wasn’t even close. That was embarrassing for Cruz, even for him. Pathetic. Vote Allred.”
The debate, held in Dallas, marked the first and only face-off between the two candidates in the Senate race. Polls have shown Allred, a well-funded challenger, gaining momentum as he seeks to unseat Cruz and become the first Democrat elected to statewide office in Texas since the 1990s. The traditionally red state is proving to be a challenging battleground, but Allred’s strong debate performance has further energized his campaign.
As early voting approaches, Cruz is facing mounting criticism, even from within his own party, while Allred continues to gain support for what could be a historic victory.