Texans are facing a variety of challenges, from the border crisis to rising housing costs. Despite these pressing issues, Ted Cruz has chosen to focus on one main issue in his re-election campaign: demonizing transgender individuals by claiming they pose a threat to women and girls in Texas.
It is unclear how large the transgender population in Texas is, but it is certainly not large enough to pose a threat to the safety of women and girls in the state.
In the final days of the campaign, Cruz, in a tight race with Colin Allred, has decided that fear and hate are the best messages to resonate with his constituents.
Michael Hardy of The Texas Monthly reported:
Texans are grappling with a range of issues, such as the border crisis, utility regulation failures, rising housing costs, and rural hospital closures. Yet, as the U.S. Senate campaign nears its end, incumbent Ted Cruz and challenger Colin Allred are engaged in a heated battle over transgender rights. Cruz and his political allies have launched a series of alarming television ads accusing Allred of supporting controversial issues like allowing transgender individuals in sports and military settings. This focus on transgender rights is part of a larger trend among Republican candidates, who have spent millions on anti-transgender ads recently.
Political analyst Bill Miller noted the shift in Cruz’s campaign strategy, emphasizing transgender issues as a key battleground against Allred.
Allred’s stance on transgender rights has been clear: he opposed legislation that would have restricted transgender individuals from participating in sports and has supported gender-affirming care for transgender service members. In response to the attacks from Cruz, Allred’s campaign emphasized the importance of standing against discrimination in all forms.
While Cruz has primarily focused on immigration and job creation during his campaign, his sudden pivot to transgender issues as a central message may seem puzzling. Polls have shown that transgender rights are not a top concern for most voters. However, experts suggest that Cruz’s strategy may be aimed at painting his opponent as an extremist and rallying support from conservative voters.
Despite the lack of significant public concern over transgender issues, Cruz’s campaign seems to believe that this tactic will resonate with their base. Internal polling likely indicates that focusing on transgender rights is a strategic move for Cruz to appeal to his Republican supporters.