Colin Allred, Ted Cruz to debate in Dallas ahead of November election

Texans will get their first chance to see the two candidates vying for U.S. Senate during a debate later this month.
The debate occurs just weeks before the Nov. 5 General Election, so it will likely be the only time U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, will face incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, before voters head to the polls.
The first showdown between the two candidates, declared “The Texas Debate,” will be broadcast live and online across TEGNA Inc. platforms in Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Waco, College Station, Tyler, Corpus Christi, Beaumont, Midland-Odessa, Abilene and San Angelo.
The debate will also be streamed through each TEGNA Texas station’s free app, available for Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices.
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Allred will face Cruz on Tuesday, Oct. 15, during a debate hosted by WFAA-TV in Dallas at 7 p.m. MT/8 p.m. CT
Though it marks the only time the two have met on the debate stage, neither is a stranger to the art form — Cruz took part in a number of debates during his failed presidential bid in 2016, as well as multiple debates with Beto O’Rourke, who nearly unseated him in 2018. Allred has previously teed off against Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, who he defeated in 2018, and took part in multiple debates during the Senate primary earlier this year.
More:Colin Allred launches TV ads targeting Ted Cruz on border issues, polls show tight race
Though the questions for the debate have not been made public, high-priority topics like abortion and border security are likely to dominate the night’s contest. The shadow of each party’s presidential nominee — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump — can also be expected to loom over the debate stage.
The U.S. Senate race in Texas has Cruz yet again facing stiff opposition. Polls in recent weeks have seen Allred closing the gap between himself and Cruz, representing a near repeat of O’Rourke’s near victory over the incumbent in 2018.
Cruz is looking to secure his third term in the Senate, while Allred is looking to make the leap from the U.S. House of Representatives. Both efforts have gotten a boost in recent days, as the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has made a large investment in the Texas showdown.
More:Trump vs. Harris polls: Presidential race remains tight as Election Day looms
The two candidates represent wildly different positions on key issues, with Cruz an unapologetic supporter of Trump and his brand of vitriolic conservatism and Allred a close companion of U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, and the current brand of neoliberalism gripping the Democratic Party.
Recent polling numbers show the race in a virtual tie.