Ted Cruz gets worrying news in latest polls as Texas senate race tightens

Ted Cruz’s chances of winning reelection to the Senate are narrowing, with a pair of recent polls showing that his Democratic challenger Colin Allred holds a chance of defeating the Republican incumbent in a tighter-than-expected race.

A recent survey of Texas voters, from Public Policy Polling/Clean and Prosperous America, shows Allred leading with 47 percent to Cruz’s 46 percent, after an August poll showed Cruz leading Allred by two points.

Those results have a margin of error of 3.5 percent, putting the candidates in a virtual tie.

Another recent poll from Emerson College/The Hill shows that 49 percent of voters support the GOP candidate, with 45 percent backing Allred. Six percent remain undecided. The results fall within the poll’s margin of error.

The latest results follow a Morning Consult poll that showed Allred ahead of Cruz by one percentage point — up 45 percent to 44 percent — for the first time.

No Democrat has won election to statewide office in Texas in 30 years, but the tight race is now drawing multi-million dollar spending from Democratic fundraising arms to send Allred to the Senate. It’s a shakeup that could reshape Texas politics and the upper chamber of Congress as Democrats fight to hold onto their majority in November.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is boosting its advertising in the state by $79m.

“Senate Democrats are expanding the map and going on offense,” group chair Senator Gary Peters said in a statement announcing investments in Texas and Florida, where Democrats also hope to oust Republican Senator Rick Scott.

“All cycle long the DSCC has been preparing to take advantage of Sens. Cruz and Scott’s damaged standings in their states — and now our efforts in Texas and