Ted Cruz in 2024 TX Senate race

On Education: School choice is the civil-rights issue of the 21st Century

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined the co-chairs of the Congressional School Choice Caucus, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), in introducing a resolution designating January 21st-January 27th, 2024, as National School Choice Week.

Upon joining the resolution, Sen. Cruz said, "For over a decade, I have been the leading advocate for school choice in the U.S. Senate because I firmly believe that school choice is the civil-rights issue of the 21st Century. Every single child deserves access to an exceptional education regardless of their zip code, race, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. I will continue to stand up for our students in Texas and across the country because building a stronger America starts in our K-12 classrooms."

On Drugs: Drug legalization is harmful, but leave it to the states

NORML Politician Info: rated F
Ted Cruz (R - TX): Holds office U.S. Senate; Candidate in race for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, November 5, 2024
• SUMMARY: MANDATORY MINIMUMS JAIL TIME FOR POSSESSION / NO MEDICAL USE
• Comments : "I don't support drug legalization; I think drug legalization ends up harming people. I think it particularly hurts young people. It traps them in addiction...I've always said that should be a question for the states. I think different states can resolve it differently." (5/1/23)
• "When it comes to a question of legalizing marijuana, I don't support legalizing marijuana," he told Hugh Hewitt in April. "I think it is appropriate for the federal government to recognize that the citizens of those states have made that decision, and one of the benefits of it, you know, using Brandeis' terms of laboratories of democracy, is we can now watch and see what happens in Colorado and Washington State." (2/04/16)

On Abortion: Reversing Roe was a massive victory for life

Abortion : Ban or legal?
• Colin Allred (D): Legal. Calls Texas's abortion ban "cruel." Sponsored bills to enshrine federal rights to abortion and out-of-state services.
• Ted Cruz (R): Ban. Supreme Court reversing Roe v. Wade is "a massive victory for life." Opposed putting the right to abortion into federal law. In 2016 said there should be no exceptions for rape or incest. Sponsored a bill criminalizing performing abortions after 20 weeks.

On Corporations: Voted against a 15% corporate minimum tax

Taxes: Should corporations and wealthier individuals pay less or more taxes?
• Colin Allred (D): More. Voted to require a 15% corporate minimum tax.
• Ted Cruz (R): Less. Voted against requiring a 15% corporate minimum tax. Supported the 2017 Trump tax bill with the largest corporate tax cut in US history. "We should stop the weaponization of the tax code, abolish the IRS, and start over."

On Crime: Police are under attack BLM are terrorists

Criminal Justice : How to ensure effectiveness and fairness in law enforcement?
• Colin Allred (D): Supports "common-sense reforms that will restore trust in our law enforcement and ensure justice." Voted for holding police accountable, addressing racial profiling, and limiting use of force. Sponsored a bill to encourage police use of "de-escalation tools."
• Ted Cruz (R): Police are "under attack." Sponsored bills strengthening protections for police and having recruits work in their own communities. Said January 6 U.S. Capitol stormers were prosecuted more than Black Lives Matter protesters he called "terrorists."

On Education: Cancelling student loan debt is illegal

Student Financial Aid : Support lowering interest on student loans and/or forgiving them?
• Colin Allred (D): Yes. Supports reducing and forgiving loans. "Too many Texans are burdened by student loan debt." Supports Biden's SAVE plan to cut monthly repayments.
• Ted Cruz (R): No. "Biden's decision to 'cancel' student loan debt is illegal." People getting loans canceled are "slacker baristas." Voted to repeal loan payment suspension.

On Government Reform: Supports voter integrity law; opposes ballot harvesting

Voting Rules : Make voting harder or easier?
• Colin Allred (D): Easier. Supports "making it easier" to vote. Opposes restricting "access to polling places." Supports voting by mail and early voting. Voted to expand registration and voting access, and make states get federal preclearance for voting law changes.
• Ted Cruz (R): Harder. Opposed banning states from restricting voting access, saying it "strikes down virtually every voter integrity law" and allows "ballot harvesting." Would require citizenship proof for mail-in voter registration. Opposed expanding voting access.

On Abortion: Should be settled at the state level; I'm not the governor

Allred has leaned into the state abortion ban in the homestretch of the election, disputing Cruz's characterization of himself as "pro-life." "You're not pro-life," Allred said, turning to address Cruz. "It's not pro-life to deny women care so long that they can't have children anymore. It's not pro-life to force a victim of rape to carry their rapist's baby. Understand that when Ted Cruz says he's pro-life, he doesn't mean yours."

On Civil Rights: Military bases should not have drag shows or Pride flags

[Republican incumbent Ted Cruz] also blasted Allred for recently signing onto a letter that urged GOP lawmakers to strike from an annual defense policy bill provisions that include "restricting medically necessary care for transgender service members" and restricting the use of Pride flags on bases. "You know what he argued for? Military bases should have drag shows and should be able to fly a transgender flag above it," Cruz said. "Call me old-fashioned--I think the only flag that should fly above our military base should be the American flag."

On Families & Children: Keep work requirement to get child tax credit

Cruz said he was behind pushing for a child tax credit with Trump's tax cuts in 2017, but that the Democrats wanted to relax the work requirement on parents to get that credit. "We need parents to get back to work," Cruz said.

On Foreign Policy: Voted for providing emergency weapons to Israel

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. When asked if Israel bears any responsibility for the tens of thousands of civilian deaths in Gaza, Cruz said there is no country on Earth that fights a more humane, more targeted and more just war than the people of Israel.

On Immigration: Democrats opened the border; Texas is paying the price

[Democratic challenger Colin] Allred responded, "Listen, what I've always said is that we have to make sure that as we're talking about border security, that we don't fall into demonizing and you can take something out of context from seven years ago, which is what he's trying to do, but he doesn't want to talk about what he said this year, which is that we don't need a border bill."

On Principles & Values: Democrats are "radical and extreme" & fueled inflation

On Principles & Values: OpEd: the conservative firebrand whom liberals love to hate