Democrats invest new money into Allred campaign as Texas Senate race against Cruz becomes more competitive
Senate Democrats are injecting millions of dollars into Congressman Colin Allred's bid to unseat two-term incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz. The announcement comes as the race has become more competitive.
We also look ahead to the CBS News Vice-Presidential debate Tuesday night between Republican Senator JD Vance of Ohio and Democratic Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota. Jack also listens to voters talk about the presidential race. Plus, the State Fair of Texas can ban guns for most people after the Texas Supreme Court rejected an emergency request by the Attorney General's office to overturn the ban. Jack Fink covers these stories and more in the latest episode of Eye On Politics. (original air date: September 29, 2024.)
Big boost
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee announced late last week it will make a new investment of millions of dollars into North Texas Congressman Colin Allred's campaign for U.S. Senate in Texas. Allred is challenging incumbent Republican Ted Cruz who was first elected to the Senate in 2012. The new money from the DSCC will go toward paying for television advertising. It will be in addition to the ads paid for by Allred's campaign.
The Real Clear Politics average of the three most recent polls shows Cruz leading by five percentage points, 47% to 42%. One recent survey came from the Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation. It shows Cruz ahead of Allred by just three percentage points, 48% to 45%. The Cook Political Report still considers this race a "Likely R."
Jack spoke with Dallas County Republican Party Chair Lt. Colonel Allen West, Ret. and Dallas County Democratic Party Chair, Kardal Coleman about the Senate and presidential races and the upcoming CBS News Vice-Presidential debate between Democratic Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota and Republican Senator JD Vance of Ohio.
The Vice-Presidential debate airs at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1. CBS Evening News Anchor and Managing Editor Norah O'Donnell and Face the Nation Moderator Margaret Brennan will serve as debate moderators. You can watch the debate on CBS News Texas.
Watch Jack's interview with Allen West & Kardal Coleman:
Squaring off in the VP debate
With the one and only Vice-Presidential debate set to air, we went to SMU to speak with Dr. Ben Voth, Debate Professor and Director of Debate. He told Jack what he expects as the candidates square off and what each needs to do to win.
Watch Jack's interview with Dr. Ben Voth:
Tracking the battleground states
Jack also continues to track the polls in the battleground states.
The Real Clear Politics average of polls shows there is a little movement from last week:
In Arizona, former President Donald Trump leads Vice President Kamala Harris by two percentage points, a little higher than last week's margin.
In Nevada, Harris increased her lead over Trump slightly and is now ahead by 1.4 percentage points.
In Georgia, Trump is ahead by 1.5 percentage points, slightly lower than last week.
Harris' lead over Trump in Wisconsin shrunk a little from last week to .9 percentage points. She has a slight bump in Michigan, now 1.8 percentage points over Trump.
In Pennsylvania, Harris is ahead by .9 percentage points, down slightly from last week.
Trump has a little more breathing room in North Carolina, leading Harris by 1.3 percentage points — it was nearly tied last week.
Listening to voters
Jack also listened to voters speak about the presidential race when he recently went to the Plano Balloon Festival.
Watch Jack's conversation with voters:
Fair Fight
Big Tex is once again welcoming people to The State Fair of Texas, and a controversial new policy to ban guns will stand.
Thursday night, the Supreme Court of Texas ruled unanimously, 9-0, against the Attorney General's emergency request to overturn the Fair's new policy.
Three justices from the state's highest civil court slammed the Attorney General's office for not taking a position on whether the Fair, a private entity, has the authority to keep those with concealed firearms permits to carry their handguns.
"It is a question on which both law-abiding handgun owners and the operators of the State Fair deserve a clear answer," the justices wrote. "It is a question to which further litigation may provide a clearer answer. But it is not a question answered - or even addressed - by the State's emergency filings in this Court. This Court cannot possibly order the State Fair to allow handguns to be carried at this year's Fair when the party seeking that relief does not even argue that Texas law obligates the Fair to do so."
Attorney General Ken Paxton has said the city and Fair can't block Texans from carrying weapons on public property if they have concealed carry permits. But the Fair said it's leasing the property from the city, and that as a private, non-profit organization, it can set this new policy.
It made the change after three people were shot there last year. The City of Dallas has said it has had nothing to do with the Fair's policy.
"This case is not over," Paxton said in a statement Friday. "I will continue to fight this on the merits to uphold Texans' ability to defend themselves, which is protected by State law. While Texas clearly prohibits this type of gun ban, I will be working with the Legislature this session to protect law-abiding citizens' Second Amendment rights on public property."
