Sen. Ted Cruz wins re-election, weathering challenge from Democrat Colin Allred

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is returning to Washington after rebuffing a challenge from Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, NBC News reports.

Cruz was expected to win a third term in the deep red state, but the race tightened in recent weeks, drawing national attention and attention as Allred, a prolific fundraiser, spent millions of dollars on television and digital ads, to praise Cruz for his support of the state's six-week abortion ban.

Allred's campaign also spotlighted Cruz's vacation to Cancun in 2021, amid an energy crisis across the state due to a severe winter storm.

Cruz, 53, fought back, trying in the final weeks of the campaign to portray Allred as wanting to allow boys to participate in girls' sports. He also linked Allred, 43, to Vice President Kamala Harris, who was expected to lose the presidential election in the state, calling the two Democrats “dos liberales” or “two liberals” in the Spanish-language ad.

In the end, Allred's campaign spent more than $50 million on advertising in the race, right between Labor Day and Election Day, according to AdImpact. Cruz's campaign spent $26 million during that time, with another $23 million spent by Truth and Courage PAC, a group that supports Cruz.

In the final weeks of the race, Cruz also complained that he lacked support from the GOP leadership. In particular, he complained that the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC that works with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, was not spending money to bolster him or bolster Allred.

In the end, Allred's bipartisan message and his appeal to voters concerned about abortion rights were not enough. Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist, said in an interview before Election Day that electing a Democrat as senator in such a red state was a long shot. And Cruz's party affiliation was perhaps his most valuable asset.

“He’s a Republican in a Republican state, short and sweet. That’s what wins,” Bartlett said. “Texas will go for Trump over Harris, and it is almost impossible for a Democrat in Texas to top the top spot.”