8 key moments from the Ted Cruz vs. Colin Allred debate

Abortion argument kicks off heated debate

The opening question of The Texas Debate was about the two candidates' stance on abortion, and Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Colin Allred had a fiery exchange.

Cruz said Texans overwhelmingly support parents having to consent before their child can get an abortion, that abortions in the eighth and ninth month of pregnancy are too extreme, and that taxpayer money shouldn't pay for abortions.

But Cruz also said Allred rejects those consensuses and voted in favor of striking down legislation surrounding parental consent and late-term abortions. He called Allred's stance on abortion "extreme."

"Abortion is an issue that many Texans and Americans care deeply about," Cruz said. "I agree with the United States Supreme Court that the way we resolve questions like that is at the ballot box."

Allred struck back at Cruz, saying he lied about his position on abortion.

Allred alleged that 26,000 women have given birth to their rapist's child under Texas law.

"When I'm in U.S. Senate, we'll restore a woman's right to choose," Allred said. "We'll make Roe v. Wade the law of the land again."

Cruz responded by saying the Texas state legislature makes the abortion laws, not him.

Allred then repeatedly attacked Cruz's "pro-life" stance on the issue of abortion.

"You're not pro-life," Allred said, accusing Cruz of supporting abortion laws that put women's health at risk.

"When Ted Cruz says he's pro-life, he doesn't mean yours," Allred said.

Border wall and Venezuelan gangs

Allred was asked during the debate to clarify his change in position, supporting the expansion of the border wall under Biden after calling the proposal to expand the wall racist in 2018.

Allred said he believes in physical barriers as part of a comprehensive strategy to secure the southern border. He also said he wants to fix the U.S.'s current legal immigration system.

"Time and again, Sen. Cruz treats our border communities like he's going on some kind of a safari," Allred said. "He goes back to Washington and does nothing to help."

Allred accused Sen. Cruz of not voting in favor of "the toughest border security bill in a generation" when it came up in Congress.

Cruz said that Congress produced the lowest rate of illegal immigration in 45 years working hand-in-hand with President Donald Trump, and said it didn't take a bill for Allred, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to break the border.

Cruz also accused Allred of pledging he would tear down "that racist border wall personally" and that he has voted against the wall three times.

During the back-and-forth over border security, Cruz sought to tie a Dallas robbery to "Venezuelan gangs." Here's what we can verify. 

Cruz: Allred supports drag shows on military bases

Transgender rights have been a hot-button issue in Cruz's campaign and among Republican politicians at large, who talk about preventing transgender women and men from playing sports for the gender they identify with.

When asked about transgender issues, Allred didn't speak specifically in favor of any issue. Cruz accused Allred of supporting a bill that would allow drag shows on military bases, for the use taxpayer money on sex changes for soldiers, and to pay for children to be sterilized and to have sex changes on military bases. 

Allred said he didn't support boys playing in girls sports but didn't say whether he supported transgender girls playing in girls sports. 

"What I think is that folks should not be discriminated against," Allred said. "What Sen. Cruz should explain to you is why he thinks they should."

Allred says Cruz was hiding

Since rioters invaded the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, many of those involved have been arrested and charged with a crime. Ted Cruz has said, and repeated during the debate, that anyone who was violent should be charged with a crime, despite former President Donald Trump saying he would pardon the rioters.

Cruz said anyone who was violent at the Capitol on Jan. 6 should be prosecuted, whether he agrees with their politics or not.

Allred argued during the debate that Cruz can't be for both the mob on Jan. 6 and for the officers. He also called Cruz a threat to democracy. He recalled the moments during the attack when he was in the Capitol. 

"I took off my suit jacket and I was prepared to defend the House floor from the mob," Allred said. "At the same time, after he'd gone around the country lying about the election, after he'd been the architect of the attempt to overthrow that election, when that mob came, Sen. Cruz was hiding in a supply closet."

A moment of agreement

The ongoing conflict with Israel in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands, including women and children. Both candidates were asked about how Hamas should be held responsible for the Oct. 7 attack and if Israel bears any responsibility for the mass number of deaths of civilians in Gaza.

Allred, when asked about the Oct. 7 attack, called it a horrific terrorist attack, the worst against Jewish people since the Holocaust. He said it's time to reach a settlement to bring hostages home and that Hamas must be held accountable. 

He also said that Cruz had voted against a bill that would have provided funding to Israel, as well as to Taiwan and Ukraine.

Cruz accused Allred of consistently lining up against Israel and said the bill he voted against would provide money to Gaza. He said he also voted in favor of a bill providing emergency weapons to Israel, and said Allred voted against it.

Cruz also accused student protesters of anti-Semitism. He said if they threaten Jewish students they should be expelled, arrested, and if they're from another country, they should be deported.

Who's to blame for the economy? 

Inflation has been a top issue for many as more Americans are struggling to get by due to rising costs of goods. Both candidates were asked how they would handle issues such as insurance prices.

When asked about insurance needing a federal solution, both Cruz and Allred agreed it's better handled at a state level. But Cruz went on to talk about inflation, saying that Democrats under Biden spent trillions they didn't have and borrowed trillions from China they didn't have. Cruz also said that when he and others said it would drive up inflation, they didn't care. 

"The inflation caused by Harris and Allred's spending binge is hurting Texans across the board," Cruz said.

Allred said he was focused on lowering the costs of things like healthcare, and that when he voted to cap the cost of insulin, Cruz voted against it. He also said that Cruz is one of the biggest recipients of donations from pharmaceutical industry lobbyists. 

"This is someone who goes to the Ritz Carlton in Cancun, do you really think he cares about inflation?" Allred asked.

Stance on IVF law

After the Alabama Supreme Court ended access to fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization, many are concerned that access could be cut off in other states such as Texas. 

Cruz said IVF is an incredibly important topic and that he authored a bill that would protect it as a federal statutory right.

"You ask why it hasn't passed? Because Democrats, very cynically, they stood up and objected," Cruz said. "Why? Because they want to campaign on the issue." 

Allred argued that IVF didn't need protecting until Cruz got his way of going after it.

"No one was thinking that we needed to protect IVF until he was singularly responsible for pursuing, by putting in place judges at the district court level, the circuit court level and Supreme Court level, folks who would put at risk this miracle technology," Allred said. 

Allred also accused Cruz of supporting the personhood amendment when he ran for president in 2016, which Allred said would make IVF and certain forms of birth control illegal. Cruz said this was false.

Addressing the cost of living

The issue of affordable housing was brought up as more and more people struggle to pay for their rent or mortgage as the cost of living continues rising. 

When asked if he supports down payment assistance and Harris' proposal of a $40 billion innovation fund to build more affordable houses in Texas, Allred said they have to start with housing supply before they get to anything else. And he said paying for that would be a priority. 

"When you have a housing shortage, you have to build more housing, because that's driving up every other cost," Allred said. 

Cruz argued that nothing is driving up housing costs as much as the 11.5 million undocumented migrants he said Harris and Allred have let in through open borders, and said they want to keep letting in.