Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic Rep. Colin Allred traded quippy one-liners and clashed over policy Tuesday at their first and only debate in a Texas Senate race debate that both candidates agree is up for grabs. Cruz presented himself as a conservative who “will fight to keep Texas Texas,” while Allred cast Cruz as a do-nothing extremist who has not delivered for the state in his 12 years in the Senate. “When the lights went out in the energy capital of the world, he went to Cancún. If those two seats change hands to the Republican Party, Democrats will face long odds of keeping control of the chamber. Cruz went on offense over energy and blamed Democrats for inflation.

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Persons: Sen, Ted Cruz, Colin Allred, quippy, Cruz, ”, Allred, “, ” Allred, ” Cruz, Allred’s zingers, Congressman Allred, Allred’s, he’s, Roe, Wade . Cruz, didn’t, sidestepped Organizations: Democratic, Texas Senate, Capitol, United States Senate, Republican, University of Houston, Marist College, Republican Party, NFL, U.S Capitol Locations: Texas, Texas Texas, Cancún, Mexico, West Virginia, Montana, Cruz