Ted Cruz, Colin Allred clash in Texas Senate debate ahead of early ...

A world of difference was on display as U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz teed off in their first primetime debate this week ahead of the Texas Senate election next month.

The debate took place Tuesday, Oct. 15, in Dallas. Moderators questioned the candidates on hot-button issues such as abortion, the ongoing war in Israel, inflation, border policy, housing prices and more in a debate that lasted an hour.

To be sure, there was little in the way of contrast needed between the two candidates — Allred, D-Dallas, and Cruz, R-TX, represent wildly different political views — but the debate provided voters with an opportunity to see just how well one could stand up to the other.

Allred has an uphill battle in the Nov. 5 election as he seeks to unseat the entrenched Cruz, who is now seeking his third term in the U.S. Senate. Amid tight poll numbers, Cruz continues to hold a slim lead in the race with only weeks to go before the election.

Here are key takeaways from the candidates' first — and likely only — debate before Election Day, Nov. 5.

Jabs begin at onset

Neither Cruz nor Allred spared any time on pleasantries.

After briefly introducing himself to the viewing audience across Texas, Allred immediately chided Cruz for his infamous jaunt to Cancun in 2021 as Texas faced its worst energy crisis in history and millions were left without electricity, water or food.

"We don't have to be embarrassed by our senator," he said. "We can get a new one."

More: Texas senate race 2024 polls: Colin Allred trails Ted. Cruz by 3 points

For his part, Cruz struck a pleasant tone in his opening remarks, noting how incredible it is that he, the son of Cuban immigrants, and Allred, raised by a single mother, could both have the privilege of representing Texas in Congress.

That faded quickly, however, as Cruz alleged that Allred would attempt to avoid his own voting record and warned that Allred's campaign was built on trying to undo all that is going right in Texas.

Abortion restrictions

Cruz was grilled on his support for the near-total abortion ban in Texas, which includes no exceptions for cases of rape or incest, despite having previously cosponsored a bill that included such exceptions.

For his part, Cruz asserted that any differences of opinion on reproductive rights should be addressed at the ballot box, where he noted Texans have overwhelmingly supported abortion restrictions such as a prohibition on late-term abortions and a requirement that parents be notified before a child undergoes an abortion.

Allred, he said, rejected Cruz's claim that Texans have reached a consensus the state's strict abortion law.

More: Who won the Texas Senate debate? Here's what X had to say about the Cruz vs Allred debate

Allred, meanwhile, relayed the story of Kate Cox, who fled Texas to receive a medically-necessary abortion after being denied care in Texas. If elected, he said he would work to restore a woman's right to choose and enshrine Roe v. Wade as the law of the land.

 "When I'm the United States Senate, we'll restore a woman's right to choose," Allred said. "We'll make Roe v. Wade the law of the land again, and we'll make these stories of seeing these horrific experiences going on all over our state something of the past."

Cruz was pressed on whether he supported exceptions in certain abortion cases, but he again pressed on Allred, saying he voted to strike down parental notification and consent laws and legalize late-term abortions. Ultimately, Cruz refused to say if he supported broader abortion exemptions, saying those decisions are better left to each state's legislature.

"I believe in democracy," he said.

Cruz held the line against expanding exemptions for women facing possible death from a failed pregnancy or as crime victims of rape or incest.

 "Now, as for what the law should be in Texas, that's a decision that will be made by the state legislature," Cruz said. "You know, Congressman Allred is running all sorts of ads saying that I made this decision."

Battle over border, immigration policy

When it came to the border, Allred was questioned on his statement that former President Donald Trump's border wall was "racist" and should be torn down only to come out recently in support of more deterrent measures at the border.

Allred did admit he supports "physical barriers" as part of the border security strategy.

He again leaned on his experiences spending time in Brownsville with a grandfather who worked as a U.S. Customs officer. He criticized Cruz for using the border as a "safari," noting that efforts to providing funding for more resources at the border have continually been stifled by Cruz and his Republican counterparts.

More: Colin Allred launches TV ads targeting Ted Cruz on border issues, polls show tight race

Cruz attacked, saying Allred has voted against a border wall on multiple occasions and along with Vice President Kamala Harris — who currently a limited role in setting immigration policy — has advocated continually for "open borders."

He said he and Trump had "incredible success" at the border, getting illegal immigration numbers down to a 45-year low.

Allred took Cruz to task on his previous claims that a border bill in Congress was unnecessary. He chided the senator for campaigning on a border crisis but failing to get solutions passed during his 12 years in office.

"This is a pattern," he said. "He talks tough, but he never shows up."

Inflation after COVID-19

Cruz worked hard during the debate to blame the Biden administration's post COVID-19 economic policies for the high prices of food and housing. He linked Allred to those policies, saying he was firm supporter of the pandemic recovery plan.

He said the White House was warned that a spending spree at the federal level would led to inflation. Cruz did not say what was a better alternative to the economic hard caused by Washington's failure to control the spread of the corona virus across the country.

Allred acknowledged the suffering of Texans who are struggling to pay for food. He said he has worked in Congress to lower costs on health care and other basic needs. He called for a greater investment in public infrastructure to make it possible to build new housing to meet the demand in Texas. Allred said the country is still dealing with supply and distribution woes related to the pandemic.

Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com