Adam Zuvanich/Houston Public Media

An early vote will take place in the US Senate between the Republican incumbent, Senator Ted Cruz, and his Democratic challenger, Congressman Colin Allred. Reporters around Cruz's hometown of Houston and Allred's congressional seat in Dallas asked voters what they thought of the candidates and what issues mattered most to them.

Greater Houston area

If there is a common theme why some voters in the Houston area are voting for Sen. Ted Cruz, it is immigration and border security. That's the message from Republican voters at the Trini Mendenhall Community Center in West Houston.

“The most important thing he talked about is the border,” David Bracken said. “We have so many illegals coming here trying to take over our country and he's fighting and whatever Red – what's his name, the other guy trying to take his place? No.”

Sharon Kane, who used to live on the Texas-Mexico border, also sees border security as her top concern. But she added that Allred's ads attacking Cruz's stance on abortion got on her nerves.

“The Supreme Court has sent the abortion issue back to the states, and Cruz is in the Senate, the federal Senate,” Kane said. “So how could he absolutely control what the state legislature was doing? I think that’s a misrepresentation.”

Kane added that she doesn't trust Allred based on his voting record. “I don’t think Allred was very honest about a lot of the things he did,” she said. “He voted with (former House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi 100%. And I’m against so many things that the Democrats have pushed.”

For Kelly Holmes, supporting Cruz was a simple matter of partisanship. “I think he was a good supporter of (former President Donald) Trump because I think everything was weaponized against Trump,” Holmes said. “I know it's not everyone's favorite flavor, but… I like it for Texas. I like that he’s a conservative.”

Jason McClure of the Tom Reid Library in Pearland, south of Houston, said one of the main factors that influenced his vote for Cruz was the senator's commercials attacking Allred's voting record for transgender rights.

“Some of the things I've heard about Allred – and I think what I'm hearing from the Cruz campaign about the transgender this, that and the other, and he's pro-men in girls' sports, I'm not for that.” McClure said. “If I knew there was a biological male on my daughter’s sports team or whatever, I would throw a tantrum.”

Reid Library voter Gabriel Jackson said he was suspicious of Allred's record and questioned where Allred gets its funding. “I’m not a big fan of Cruz either,” Jackson said. “I think he’s pompous. I’m right in the middle, but I know what Colin Allred is capable of with the vote, so it was an easy decision for me to vote for Cruz.”

But for others, it was Cruz who was too extreme. Keith Davis was the rare pro-Allred voter at the Trini Mendenhall Community Center in West Houston. “We need new leadership,” Davis said. “As many people are leaving (Texas as) are coming. And that should mean something. Texans like me, who was born and raised in Texas, should stay and grow here in Texas. That’s not happening.”

Natalie Weber/Houston Public Media

Vijay Kane, speaking at a Diwali celebration in Sugar Land southwest of Houston, didn't sound particularly enthusiastic about Allred's record. But he felt Cruz didn't have a mind of his own. “He basically approves of everything Trump does,” Vijay Kane said. “The man is a brilliant man, highly educated, and some of the things that come out of his mouth make me wonder, did this man really study law?”

And while some voters in Houston are ready to accept Cruz's arguments that abortion is a state legislature decision, others recall the senator's voting and speaking record, which dates back long before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the ruling Roe v. Wade.

“I just think it’s a waste,” said Yolanda Brown, who voted at the Tom Reid Library in Pearland. “It’s more than just abortion. Reproductive rights – women are dying out here, especially black women. I just think it’s so wrong.”

There are many voters who still condemn Cruz's behavior during Winter Storm Uri against him, such as Nicole and Michael McCarthy, who voted at the BakerRipley Center in Houston's East End.

“I just don’t think Ted Cruz has the best interest of all Texans. I believe Ted Cruz is running for Ted Cruz. And honestly, I know he went to Cancun three years ago during Snowvid, but that really says a lot,” Nicole McCarthy said.

“We remember freezing in our apartment and seeing pictures of Ted Cruz on the way to Cancun,” said Michael McCarthy. “I know there are bigger issues at play, but I just don’t think he’s a leader for Texas.”

Cassandra Combre, who voted at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston's Third Ward, had similar sentiments. “First of all, when I'm cold, don't go to Cancun and act like you really have my best interests at heart, which I personally don't think you do,” Combre said.

Fellow Wheeler Avenue voter Linda McGee said the top issues for her are abortion, voting rights and immigration. She had a simple message for Cruz: “Go home. I would like to see that from him. Go home and stay home. He hates women. He hates minorities. I don’t agree with anything, any of his political views.”

Dallas-Fort Worth

Dallas voters who said they would support Allred consistently expressed the character and desire for greater bipartisan cooperation among lawmakers in Washington.

Kate Cavanaugh lives in Highland Park. On the day of the lone debate between Cruz and Allred, she shopped at Trader Joe's, right next door to Hillcrest High School, Allred's alma mater.

Cavanaugh says a perfect candidate for her would have “a broad and broad character that includes decency and honesty.”

Something she said she didn't see in Ted Cruz.

“No one is perfect, nor is anyone characterized by character assassination, dehumanization and self-serving decisions that are obscured by political decisions,” Cavanaugh said.

Zach Thomas was at the store to buy groceries and had the same thoughts. And like some people in Houston, he also brought up the 2021 winter storm.

“We’re good with Ted Cruz. Colin Allred is where it’s at,” Thomas said. “You don’t leave your state in a panic. He has been in office for over a decade and has nothing to show for it.”

Colleen Logan was on her way to a hair salon a few stores away. She also said she would vote for Allred.

“I have known Colin Allred since he was a football player. From my perspective, he has always been a man of values, a man with a renewed commitment to uplifting people, not oppressing them,” Logan said.

But of course the fact that a candidate comes from your hometown is no more important than party loyalty. Take Frank Campise. He is a Republican voter who cast his vote for Cruz at the Lochwood Library in East Dallas earlier this week. Campise likes Cruz's tough stance on the border, his main issue in this election.

“My grandfather came to this country from Italy, so I understand, but there is a process and I think you have to go through that process,” Campise said. “You just can’t just open the door because you don’t know what’s coming in. But I’m in favor of people coming into the country the right way.”

Maddie Sepcic, a Republican who was shopping near Hillcrest High, said she planned to vote for Cruz and hadn't even heard of Colin Allred.

“It's just always been easiest for me — because I lean more toward that side and I think more of their interests align with mine — that it's just easier for me to just go back and forth and vote all Republican.”

Celia Naples, who said she has been a Dallas resident for 12 years, also voted in East Dallas and cast her vote for Allred.

“He was my (U.S. House) representative and he’s a great, great guy. He works really hard. He works across the aisle. I don’t think we could ask for a better senator,” Naples said.

When it came to more specific topics, Jaime Rodriguez said that the main issue for him was abortion.

“Well, I have a daughter, so I’m aware of the changes in abortion,” Rodriguez said. “I think the other thing the US needs is to change the policy again to be more cooperative. It’s okay to disagree, but we don’t have to be really us (as opposed to them), we really are all one country.”

Whoever wins, this was the final thought of Cruz voter Frank Campise.

“I wish there were better candidates on both sides. I think that’s what it really comes down to,” Campise said.

Of course, this is just a sample of voters in Dallas and Houston. In 2020, more than 11 million Texans voted Surveys Show Cruz taking the lead.