Texas

U.S. Chamber backs Ted Cruz over Colin Allred


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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed Sen. Ted Cruz in his reelection campaign Tuesday after previously endorsing his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, in past cycles.

The pro-business group, which mostly backs Republican candidates, endorsed Allred in his competitive 2020 race and in 2022. Allred’s campaign often cites the endorsement along with his endorsement by the AFL-CIO union group as a sign of his bipartisan bonafides.

Both years, he was running for reelection in the U.S. House, in 2020 against Genevieve Collins and in 2022 against Antonio Swad. His 2020 reelection was one of only two in Texas targeted by national Republicans who saw him as vulnerable that year. Allred was one of only 14 U.S. House Democrats to receive the chamber’s endorsement in 2022.

The Chamber unveiled its endorsement for Cruz during a tour through North Texas, San Antonio and Houston with the senator. Neil Bradley, the group’s executive vice president and chief policy officer, joined Cruz for the tour.

“As a leader in the U.S. Senate, Ted Cruz has been a champion for pro-growth policies that help Texas businesses, individuals, and families achieve their American dream,” Bradley said in a statement. “Senator Cruz has a proven track record of support for policies that cut taxes, fight regulatory overreach, boost domestic energy production, modernize infrastructure, and promote trade, while protecting American jobs.”

Cruz said in a statement that his top priority when he first entered Congress was “fighting for jobs.”

“I am proud of my work in the U.S. Senate to advocate for legislation that supports free markets, limits government, and fosters economic development, and I will continue to fight day in and day out to preserve and grow Texas’s thriving ‘Main Street’ businesses,” he said.

Allred’s campaign reiterated that the congressman backed bipartisan legislation supported by the chamber that Cruz voted against in the Senate.

“Colin Allred will always be a fighter for the Texas business community and their workers. As the most bipartisan Texan in Congress, he’s championed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the CHIPS and Science Act, and has worked hand in hand with the business community to grow our economy and create Texas jobs,” Allred campaign spokesperson Josh Stewart said in a statement. “Ted Cruz voted no on these Texas industry priorities because all he cares about is himself.”

Both Cruz and Allred have been leaning into their legislative resumes as they run in a competitive race for the Senate seat. An August YouGov poll by the University of Houston’s Hobby School put Cruz at only 2 percentage points ahead of Allred.

This cycle, Cruz — who has long made a name for himself as a partisan warrior — is touting his position as the top Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee and his work on bipartisan legislation, including shepherding through a massive aviation safety bill through the Senate. During the 2021-2022 congressional session, Cruz ranked as the 16th most effective Republican senator by the Center for Effective Lawmaking at the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University.

Allred’s campaign asserted the congressman still has a strong relationship with business interests throughout the state while maintaining his union ties. Allred received the Texas AFL-CIO’s endorsement in this year’s Democratic primary against the more progressive state Sen. Roland Gutierrez.

Disclosure: University of Houston and US Chamber of Commerce have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

Voting FAQ: 2024 Elections

  • When is the next election? What dates do I need to know?


    Election Day for the general election is November 5, and early voting will run from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1. The deadline to register to vote and/or change your voter registration address is Oct. 7. Applications to vote by mail must be received by your county of residence – not postmarked – by Oct. 25.

  • What’s on the ballot for the general election?


    In addition to the president, eligible Texans have the opportunity to cast their ballots for many Texas officials running for office at the federal, state and local levels.

    This includes representatives in the U.S. and Texas houses and the following elected offices:
    -1 U.S Senator (Ted Cruz)
    – 1 of 3 Railroad Commissioners
    – 15 State Senators
    – 7 State Board of Education members
    – 3 members of the Texas Supreme Court
    – 3 members of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
    – 5 Chief Justices and various justices for Texas Courts of Appeals

    – Lower-level judges and local county offices will also appear on the ballot:
    – Various district judges, including on criminal and family courts
    – County Courts at Law
    – Justices of the Peace
    – District Attorneys
    – County Attorneys
    – Sheriffs
    – Constables
    – Tax Assessor-Collectors

  • How do I make sure I’m registered to vote?


    You can check to see if you’re registered and verify your information through the Texas Secretary of State’s website. You’ll need one of the following three combinations to log in:
    Your Texas driver’s license number and date of birth.
    Your first and last names, date of birth and county you reside in.
    Your date of birth and Voter Unique Identifier, which appears on your voter registration certificate.

  • How do I register to vote if I haven’t?


    You can request a postage-paid application through the mail or find one at county voter registrars’ offices and some post offices, government offices, or high schools. You can also print out the online application and mail it to the voter registrar in your county.

    Applications must be postmarked by the Oct. 7 deadline. Download your application here.

    Additionally, you can register to vote through the Texas Department of Public Safety while renewing your driver’s license. You may be able to register to vote online if you’re also allowed to renew your license online. This is the only form of online registration in the state.

    After you register to vote, you will receive a voter registration certificate within 30 days. It’ll contain your voter information, including the Voter Unique Identifier number needed to update your voter registration online. If the certificate has incorrect information, you’ll need to note corrections and send it to your local voter registrar as soon as possible.

    The voter registration certificate can also be used as a secondary form of ID when you vote if you don’t have one of the seven state-approved photo IDs

  • What can I do if I have questions about voting?


    You can contact your county elections official or call the Texas Secretary of State’s helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683). A coalition of voting rights groups is also helping voters navigate election concerns through the 866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683) voter-protection helpline. The coalition has hotlines available in other languages. Disability Rights Texas also assists voters with disabilities.

  • Read more
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