U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has held his seat since 2013 and has served the past 12 years with fellow Republican Senator John Cornyn, who is running for a fifth term in 2026 and faces Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in the primary.
Former Democratic Texas Congressman Colin Allred, who tried to unseat Cruz in 2024, is also looking to win Cornyn’s seat — trying again in 2026 to achieve what eluded him in the last election. (Cruz defeated Allred by 8.5 percentage points.)
Allred may be joined by his former congressional colleague, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), in the battle to unseat Cornyn. Crockett, a vocal critic of MAGA, has seen her profile and popularity rise in Democratic circles — enough to draw a reaction from Cruz.
[NOTE: According to a new National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) poll, if Crockett were to run in the Democratic Senate primary against Allred, she would be leading by 15 percentage points.]
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 14, 2025
When Daily Caller reporter Adam Pack shared a breakdown of the “hypothetical matchup” in Texas (see below), he wrote: “Jasmine Crockett LEADS Colin Allred by 15 percentage points in a hypothetical matchup for Texas’ Dem Senate primary, according to a new NRSC poll. Jasmine Crockett – 35% Colin Allred – 20% Beto O’Rourke – 13% Joaquin Castro – 13% Undecided – 18%.”
Cruz amplified the Republican generated data and reacted to the hypothetical matchup between the notable Dems, two of whom he has defeated, with a watchful eye emoji.
Note: Cruz was reelected in a close race in 2018 against Democratic nominee Beto O’Rourke, a former Congressman who in 2022 lost the gubernatorial election to Greg Abbott. (O’Rourke and Texas Rep. Castro are reportedly mulling runs, too. Crockett has yet to announce if she’s running.)
Note: Cornyn’s campaign announced Monday that he raised more than $3.9 million in the second quarter of the year, surpassing the $2.9 million raised by his top Republican primary rival, Paxton.