Carlos Zamora is a sophomore Honors College student at the University of Arkansas, majoring in Computer Science with minors in Mathematics and Data Analytics. Originally from Siloam Springs, Arkansas, Carlos is involved in the Associated Student Government Executive Cabinet as the Diverse Student Liaison, serves as the Vice President of Finance for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and is Treasurer for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. After graduation, Carlos hopes to pursue a career as a software developer or AI engineer.
In this year’s Senate race in Texas, incumbent U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, known for his staunch conservative stances on areas such as abortion and tax cuts, faces Democrat Colin Allred, a former NFL player and current Congressman representing the 32nd district of Texas. Allred’s views are very different from Cruz’s, with Allred championing issues like reproductive rights and voting access. Texas has been a conservative state for a very long time, being a staple supporter of the Republican Party’s platform. Since 1994, Texans have sent Republicans to represent them in Washington D.C., in every statewide race. Conservative values, such as border security and limited government, are generally very important by voters, even as rapidly growing areas like Houston, Dallas, and Austin, which tend to lean blue, continue to change Texas’s demographics.
Recent polling shows Ted Cruz holding a 4% lead, which is within the margin of error. Cruz went through a similar affair in 2018 when he faced Democrat Beto O’Rourke. Cruz won by a mere 2.6%, which was worrisome for Republicans as they usually win comfortably in Texas. This time around, Hispanic voters will play a significant role as they now make up 40% of Texas’s population. In past elections, most Hispanic votes have gone to Democrats. However, recent data shows that Hispanic voters are starting to stray away from supporting Democrats. Despite this shift, Texas has remained predominantly red, with the state yet to swing blue in any statewide election in a very long time.
The candidates debated in mid-October in a fiery exchange, covering pressing issues for Texan voters, from immigration and border security to the rising cost of living. Allred consistently attacked Cruz on his voting record and his controversial trip to Cancun in 2021, when Texas faced the worst snowstorm in its history. Cruz responded by questioning Allred’s voting history on Texas energy policies and job creation. Allred was also attacked on his alignment with the Biden administration’s spending policies, which Cruz argued were out of touch with Texan values and contributed to inflation.
Both candidates have drawn substantial financial support, both statewide and nationwide, racking up a combined $160 million as of mid-October. Allred has raised $87.3 million, compared to Cruz’s $72.2 million. During the third fiscal quarter, Allred received $30 million, showing that Democrats are making final-stretch efforts to sway voters. However, outside conservative group have spent large sums of money to help boost Cruz , with Truth and Courage super PAC alone spending $25 million on ads.
Prediction: Texas will remain Texas. Voters have held strong to traditional conservative principles for decades, and while the changing demographics are undeniable, they haven’t yet reached the tipping point needed for a Democratic win statewide. Cruz may not be the ideal candidate for many, but his conservative base remains very loyal, and with Texas’s strong history of backing the GOP, Allred’s battle might be too difficult to win this year. Texas may be growing closer towards becoming a purple state, but for now, it will stay red. For many Texans, conservative principles remain too deeply rooted to abandon, even as change seems to be on the horizon.