There are still five months left until Election Day, but U.S. Rep. Colin Allred isn’t wasting any time. He has initiated a television ad campaign across several Texas markets to introduce himself to voters.
This is probably because, despite his role as a U.S. Representative, Allred is relatively unknown in Texas and faces a challenging race against the Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.
According to The Dallas Morning News, Allred’s campaign has produced both English and Spanish television ads, which will start airing Friday in Houston, San Antonio, Laredo, and the Rio Grande Valley cities of Harlingen, Brownsville, and McAllen. Additionally, digital ads in both languages will be deployed on various platforms statewide, including one featuring Allred speaking in Spanish.
For Allred, starting early allows him to shape his campaign narrative before Cruz can respond with his own ads. While Cruz is a well-known figure both in Texas and nationally, Allred’s campaign recognizes the need to boost his name recognition early.
Allred’s initial ads are biographical and refrain from mentioning Cruz. In a 30-second spot, Allred highlights his personal story. He also distances himself from some of President Joe Biden’s policies, particularly on border security and liquified natural gas exports.
This may be to contrast Cruz’s portrayal of Allred as too liberal for Texas, aligning him with Biden’s policies.
“In Congress, I stood up to the president when he’s wrong to defend Texas energy jobs and secure our border,” Allred states in the ad. “As your senator, I’ll keep doing what’s right for Texas to protect Medicare and Social Security and add more Border Patrol agents.”
Allred’s campaign echoes themes from his successful 2018 Congressional race, where he emphasized his roots in District 32 and his upbringing by a single mother. His 2020 reelection campaign frequently used the slogan, “From Hillcrest High School to Congress,” as reported by The Dallas Morning News.
He ends by saying, “My team is Texas.”
