JOURDANTON, Texas – Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred are making their final addresses to Texas voters on a wild statewide travel spree toward the end of one of the most expensive places in the country. and I followed the Senate races closely..

cruzwho then finds himself in another competitive contest. Narrowly won second term in 2018He is leaning into conservative promises of tougher border measures and attacks on policies that support transgender people, including a bus tour rally outside San Antonio on Tuesday.

Allred, who will be Texas’ first Black senator, spent a day driving through Houston, the state’s largest city and a key Democratic stronghold for the underdog congressman who needs a massive showing from loyal Democrats to unseat the incumbent. The three-term congressman emphasized his support for abortion rights at a rally at Texas Southern University, a historically black school, and accused Cruz of limiting women’s access to reproductive health care.

Statewide races in Texas have been out of Democrats’ reach for decades, but recent signs that the race could be tightening have led some to think 2024 could finally be the year. It’s an ambitious goal, but one of the few opportunities in a year for Democrats, who are defending twice as many Senate seats as Republicans nationally.

A surprise win in Texas would significantly improve their chances of preserving their slim majority in the Senate.

Both candidates raised more than $160 million in the race.

Democrats supporting Allred announced last week $5 million advertising campaign About women’s reproductive freedom

During one of his stops in Houston, Allred asked voters to turn the page on divisive politics and look to leaders who can get things done.

“I don’t spend my time dropping bombs,” he said. “I work hard because bipartisanship is not the end goal, because that’s how things are done.”

About 250 miles (402 kilometers) west, at a rally in the rural South Texas town of Jourdanton, Cruz cast himself as the plausible candidate.

“This is no longer a battle between Republicans and Democrats,” he said. “This is a war between the sane and the insane.”

On a hot October afternoon, dust flew in and around a warehouse in Jourdanton; Cruz’s supporters wore “Make America Great Again” hats and waved signs bearing Cruz’s slogan, “Texas, Keep Texas.” Cruz stood in the bed of a pickup truck and gave a nearly 40-minute speech, portraying the race as a battle between tradition and change.

The Senate race has drawn the most attention and money in Texas as Allred, a three-term Texas congressman, tries to unseat Cruz and do what no Democrat has done in 30 years: win a statewide election in the nation’s second-most populous district. situation. Cruz tried to connect Allred to Vice President Kamala Harris on immigration, LGBTQ+ issues and the economy.

In a state with some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, Cruz has largely avoided the issue.

Cruz narrowly defeated Beto O’Rourke in his last reelection campaign in 2018, and Democrats see the Senate race as an opportunity to capitalize on Texas’ changing demographics and a relatively unpopular mandate.

Sarah Brietzke, a retired teacher from nearby La Vernia, said she did not expect Cruz to lose. “I would be surprised,” he said.

“I don’t have anything against that guy,” Scott Smith said of Allred. Still, Smith said he believes Cruz has stronger economic and immigration policies.

Allred tried to capture moderate voters by running a lower-profile campaign focused on reproductive care, a winning issue for Democrats. U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to strike down federal protections for abortion remains popular among most Americans.

On Tuesday night in Houston, Allred repeatedly attacked Cruz. Mexico travel in 2021 During a deadly winter storm that left millions without power. The change in Texas’ largest city comes just days after Allred joined Harris and Beyoncé At a rally on Friday nightThe vice president’s first and only stop in Texas. The former NFL linebacker and civil rights attorney kept his distance from Harris for much of her race, saying he was focused on his own campaign.

He spoke to a half-full auditorium of about 300 people, where he worked to boost support among Black voters, a historically strong voting bloc for Democrats. Allred did not emphasize large rallies in his campaign, which frustrated some Democrats early in the race, but he increased his travels as the race progressed.

“Everything is bigger in Texas except our senator. He’s too small for our state. “His vision for us is too small,” Allred said.

Allred was joined at Tuesday’s rally by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, who told the crowd that Allred would continue to fight for student debt relief and women’s reproductive rights. Allred said he will be a senator for all Texans and will continue his efforts to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans.

Kamerin Joseph, 27, said she voted for Allred because the congresswoman supports women’s reproductive rights.

“This is a huge deal for me,” he said. “So you hear stories of women having to watch their children die and having to face hardships themselves.”

Joseph, who works for Protest, Organize, Participate, a Houston-based nonprofit that engages young people in politics, said after knocking on doors and talking to people, he thinks many people are aware of the Senate race and its potential for change.

“I really feel like we’re going to turn Texas blue this year. I really feel it,” Joseph said. “I feel like the average Texan wants Texan Colin Allred every day. “You know, they’re ready for Cruz to leave.”

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Lozano reported from Houston. ___

Lathan is a syndicated member of the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. report for america is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.