Texas Election Results: Ted Cruz and the Reality of the Red Wall

Texas politics is weird. Seriously. One minute everybody is talking about how the state is "trending purple," and the next, the GOP sweeps back in like a tidal wave. If you were watching the Texas election results Ted Cruz pulled off recently, you know exactly what I’m talking about. People expected a repeat of the 2018 nail-biter where Beto O'Rourke almost pulled off the impossible. But this time? Not even close.

Ted Cruz didn't just win; he sort of crushed it.

The final tally wasn't the "one or two percent" margin the pollsters were whispering about in October. Cruz walked away with about 53.1% of the vote, while his Democratic challenger, Colin Allred, sat at 44.6%. That’s a gap of nearly 9 points. To put that in perspective, Cruz received almost 6 million votes—specifically 5,990,741. Allred brought in just over 5 million.

What Really Happened with the Texas Election Results Ted Cruz Secured

So, how did a guy who often gets mocked for his Cancun vacation or his podcasting habit actually widen his lead from six years ago? Honestly, it came down to a few big shifts that the Dallas and Austin bubbles didn't see coming.

First off, the "Latino Firewall" in South Texas basically evaporated for the Democrats. For decades, the Rio Grande Valley was as blue as it gets. But in this cycle, Cruz actually won a slight majority of the Hispanic and Latino vote statewide. That is a massive deal. It’s the kind of shift that keeps Democratic strategists up at night.

✨ Don't miss: Middle East Ceasefire: What Everyone Is Actually Getting Wrong

Then there’s the money.

This was the most expensive congressional race in the entire country for the 2024 cycle. We are talking about $166 million combined. Allred raised a ton—over $80 million—but Cruz outpaced him with roughly $86.7 million. Cruz used that cash for a "double whammy" strategy. He hammered Allred on two main things: the border and transgender athletes in sports.

The Strategy that Flipped Counties

Cruz’s team ran ads specifically targeting Allred’s voting record on transgender issues, particularly "boys in girls' sports." According to Sam Cooper, a key figure in the Cruz campaign, their focus groups showed this was the "No. 1 persuadable issue" for Hispanic voters and even some college-educated white voters. It worked.

Cruz ended up flipping 13 counties that had previously gone elsewhere.

🔗 Read more: Michael Collins of Ireland: What Most People Get Wrong

• South Texas Surge: He saw massive gains in places like the Rio Grande Valley.
• The Trump Effect: Donald Trump carried Texas by about 14 points, and while Cruz didn't win by that much, the "coattails" were real.
• Rural Dominance: As usual, the red sea of rural Texas stayed red, but with even higher margins.

Allred tried to make the race about reproductive rights and abortion. It’s a strategy that worked for Democrats in places like Arizona or Michigan. But in Texas? It didn't have the same teeth. While Allred led among women and Gen Z (about 62% of Gen Z went for him), Cruz countered that by winning 62% of the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers.

The "Get-Things-Done" Rebrand

You've probably seen the old Ted Cruz. The firebrand who shut down the government. The guy who fought everyone. This time around, he tried something a little different. He hit the trail with a "Keep Texas, Texas" bus tour and focused on his legislative record.

He talked about the CHIPS Act (even though he had a complicated relationship with the bill itself) and his work on the Senate Commerce Committee. He even brought out Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg—a Democrat—to stand on stage with him. It was a calculated move to show he wasn't just a partisan warrior anymore, but someone who could "deliver."

Allred's "Unique Texas Story" vs. Reality

Colin Allred is an interesting guy. Former NFL linebacker, civil rights lawyer, moderate Democrat. On paper, he was the perfect candidate to flip the state. He kept his distance from the national party, rarely appearing with the presidential ticket. He tried to run as a centrist.

💡 You might also like: Margaret Thatcher Explained: Why the Iron Lady Still Divides Us Today

But the "Kamala Harris connection" was too easy for Cruz to exploit. Every time Allred talked about "freedom," Cruz would hit back with "open borders" and "inflation." In a state where 66% of voters said the economy was their top concern, and 50% cited the border, the GOP message simply had more gravity.

Key Takeaways from the Data

If you're looking at the raw numbers, here’s the breakdown that matters:

• Turnout: About 61% of registered voters showed up. That’s high, but not record-breaking for a presidential year.
• Urban vs. Rural: Allred did well in the "Texas Triangle" (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio), but he didn't "blow the doors off" in the suburbs like he needed to.
• The Margin: Cruz improved his 2018 performance by 6 points. That’s the "Red Wall" solidifying, not crumbling.

Actionable Insights for the Future

If you are following Texas politics, there are a few things you should keep an eye on heading into the next few years:

1. Watch the Rio Grande Valley: This isn't a fluke. The GOP is pouring money into South Texas, and the 2024 results prove they have a winning playbook there.
2. The "Suburban Shift" has stalled: Democrats thought they could win via the suburbs of North Dallas and Houston. The 2024 data shows that while they are still competitive, the "red" parts of those counties are fighting back harder.
3. Fundraising isn't everything: Allred had all the money in the world. He still lost by nearly double digits. Messaging on the border and economy trumped (pun intended) the spending advantage.

The Texas election results Ted Cruz achieved this time around suggest that "Purple Texas" might be further off than the pundits think. For now, the state remains firmly in the hands of the GOP, driven by a coalition that is becoming more diverse, not less.

To stay ahead of the next cycle, start looking at county-level voter registration data in the Valley. That is where the next battle for Texas will be won or lost.

Check the official Texas Secretary of State website for the certified precinct-level maps if you want to see exactly how your neighborhood voted. It’s often more surprising than the statewide headlines suggest.