Ted Cruz, Colin Allred battle for US Senate seat in Texas
One of the most closely watched races in the Lone State State is the Senate race between Ted Cruz and Colin Allred.
Cruz is seeking his third term in the US Senate. Allred, a Dallas Congressman and former NFL linebacker, is looking to flip a red seat for the second time in his political career.
Polling has shown the race between the two has been tight, leading to millions of dollars being raised and spent on the election.
In the final days of the campaign, both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris made appearances in Texas with the Senate candidates.
Democrats see the race as one of their best chances to flip a seat in the Senate. The race is now the most expensive in Texas Senate history.
Polls in Texas close at 7 p.m. across the most of the state Tuesday with the first numbers beginning to trickle in shortly after.
You will be able to see live results as they come in on this page.
Ted Cruz Biography
HOUSTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 6: Senator Ted Cruz speaks to supporters as he hosted a law enforcement and public safety rally with law enforcement leaders at King's Bierhaus on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Houston. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Im
Ted Cruz is looking for a third term in the United States Senate.
Cruz has represented Texas in Washington since 2013.
Before becoming a Senator, Cruz served as a policy advisor for then-governor George W. Bush, an associate deputy attorney general in the Department of Justice and worked as the Texas Solicitor General.
During his time as Solicitor General, Cruz argued on behalf of the state in front of the Supreme Court.
Cruz ran for president in 2016 and won primaries in 11 states. He dropped out of the race after it became clear Donald Trump would be the Republican nominee.
Colin Allred Biography
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 22: U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) arrives to speak on stage during the final day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Delegates, politicians, and Democratic Par
Allred has served as a Congressman for the Dallas area since 2019.
Allred defeated Pete Sessions to win the seat in Texas' 32nd congressional district.
The seat had been held by Sessions, a Republican, since its creation in 2004.
Allred has also worked as a civil rights attorney and in the Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Obama administration.
Before that, Allred was a football player. He played linebacker at Dallas ISD's Hillcrest High School, Baylor University and sparingly with the Tennessee Titans for four seasons.
Pre-election polling
Polling before the election predicted a tight race between the candidates as the gap between Cruz and Allred fell to just over one percent with two weeks to go before the election.
The Oct. 23 Emerson College poll showed Cruz leading Allred, 48.3 percent to 46.8 percent.
That poll spoke to 815 voters and around five percent said they were still undecided at that time.
In September, Cruz had a 4-point lead, according to the same poll.
Ted Cruz-Colin Allred: Where the candidates stand on the issues
The race for Texas' US Senate between incumbent Ted Cruz and challenger Colin Allred has tightened in recent weeks. Here is what each candidate has said about issues Texans say are the most important.
Race targeted by Democrats
Democrats targeted Cruz's seat as a potential seat they could flip after Cruz defeated Beto O'Rourke by 3 percentage points in 2018.
For years, there has been talk about Texas potentially turning into a "purple" state, but Democrats have not won a statewide race since 1994.
A Democrat has not represented Texas in the US Senate since 1993.
An expensive race
The race, which could help determine control of the Senate, has brought in millions of dollars with both candidates raising more than $80 million for their respective campaigns.
Cruz's $86 million raised is the top among Republican candidates for Senate.
Allred comes in third among Democrats with just under $80 million raised.