WASHINGTON D.C., DC — This article was originally published in the Texas Tribune. You can read the original article here.
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred’s campaign outraised Sen. Ted Cruz’s in the second quarter of 2024, though the Republican senator has amassed a larger campaign warchest going into the final stretch of the race.
Cruz’s campaign took in $7.9 million from April to June, according to a filing submitted Monday, slightly more than he raised during the same quarter during his last campaign in 2018.
Allred, a Dallas Democrat, brought in a record $10.5 million this quarter. He continues to outperform former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who raised $10.4 million during the second quarter of 2018 when he ran against Cruz. O’Rourke shattered fundraising records in his highly watched Senate bid, though he ended up losing by less than 3 percentage points.
Cruz’s campaign now has a cash advantage, with $12.1 million cash on hand compared to Allred’s $10.4 million. The senator also has additional funds raised in affiliated accounts, including his joint fundraising committee and leadership PAC, though some of that money was raised on behalf of other candidates.
"We continue to see growing support for Senator Cruz in every corner of the Lone Star State,” said Cruz spokesperson Nate Maddux in a statement. “This quarter's record-breaking fundraising numbers are indicative of Texans' steadfast support for Senator Cruz, but the job isn't done yet.”
Allred’s $10.4 million cash on hand is roughly the same as what he had six months ago. His campaign has spent aggressively on television ads in Houston, San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley.
National Democrats have shown early confidence in Allred’s campaign but have yet to plow the kinds of funds they have spent in other states, where they are defending vulnerable Democratic incumbents. The latest polling shows a competitive race in Texas, with Allred just 3 points behind Cruz.
“Texans are sending a clear message to Ted Cruz that they are ready to move on from him and his policies that are hurting Texas families, and that they are ready to elect Colin Allred to bring a new generation of leadership to the Senate,” said Allred campaign manager Paige Hutchinson in a statement.
