Rep. Colin Allred, the Democratic nominee in Texas’ Senate race, has accused incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of election denialism. Allred criticized Cruz for avoiding directly stating whether he would accept the results of the upcoming election, implying that questioning the legitimacy of elections is dangerous to democracy. However, it has been revealed that Allred himself has a history of questioning the legitimacy of past elections. He has raised concerns about foreign interference, voter fraud, and election subversion in past elections, suggesting that future election outcomes may need to be questioned as well.
During an appearance at a town hall in Garland, Texas in August 2019, Allred referenced the Mueller report and Russian interference in the 2016 election, expressing concerns about the legitimacy of future elections. He has also warned about the potential for foreign influence in elections and the need for paper trails on electronic voting machines. Allred has used similar rhetoric at various events and press conferences, suggesting that the legitimacy of elections has been put into question by actions of then-President Trump and other adversaries seeking to influence the outcomes of elections.
In a 2022 Business Insider article, Allred expressed concerns about election subversion in the upcoming midterm elections and in 2024. He suggested that there is a possibility of receiving election results that are not consistent or need to be questioned, indicating that elections may not proceed as they have in the past. Despite his past comments and warnings about election legitimacy, Allred’s campaign did not respond to a question about whether he would accept the outcome of the 2024 election, similar to the question posed to Cruz about accepting the results of the upcoming election.
A spokesperson for Allred’s campaign defended the congressman’s past questioning of elections by pointing out that Cruz was involved in trying to overturn a free and fair election. They referenced the events of Jan. 6 and suggested that Texans would hold Cruz accountable in the November election. The back-and-forth between Allred and Cruz highlights the contentious nature of the Senate race in Texas and the focus on election integrity as a key issue in the campaign.
The accusations and history of election questioning on both sides show the deeply polarized nature of politics and the intense scrutiny surrounding election processes. The debate over election integrity and the acceptance of election results has become a central theme in political campaigns, with candidates using it as a way to attack their opponents and rally their supporters. As the Senate race in Texas heats up, voters will be closely watching how both Allred and Cruz address concerns about election legitimacy and democracy moving forward.
