When Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) announced his candidacy in May 2023 to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Cruz was considered in some quarters to be the most vulnerable GOP Senate incumbent in the 2024 election.
Now, 15 months later, amid the August heat and with the campaign about to enter the decisive post-Labor Day phase, Cruz is maintaining a consistent lead of five to seven points among surveys of Texas voters while Allred, the former NFL linebacker with the Tennessee Titans, has been unusually quiet.
The race remains among the most watched because, with the Senate presently divided 51–49, Republicans need only gain a couple of seats to regain a majority. Twelve incumbent GOP senators—including Cruz—must face voters in November, and losing just one seat could make the difference for Republicans….