AUSTIN, Texas — Democratic U.S. Senate candidates hoping to unseat Republican incumbent Ted Cruz continue to make their rounds across the Lone Star State.
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred made his way to Austin from Dallas on Saturday to knock on doors, and make his last efforts to get voters to the polls. But before that took place, the congressman made a speech in a small room filled with volunteers and supporters.
"We have to make sure that we restore a woman's right to choose and access to abortion, to protect the right to vote, and our democracy. We need to protect LGBTQ+ folks from being targeted in a way that I think is completely un-American and inconsistent with who we are as Texans," Allred said.
Allred boasted about being the most bipartisan member of the Texas congressional delegation, while also reiterating the need to get Ted Cruz out of office.
"I think we need a senator who doesn't try to pass a national ban on abortion, but who will instead restore a woman's right to choose and access an abortion, who will protect our democracy instead of trying to overturn elections," said Allred. "I think I know who we are and I think we're not who Ted Cruz says we are."
Austin Council Member Zo Qadri, who was at the event, threw his support toward Allred.
"It's hard at times to find folks who are decent, who have empathy and who really give a damn about the community, and that's who Congressman Allred is," said Qadri.
Meanwhile, U.S. Senate candidate Roland Gutierrez was in San Antonio at a MLK rally to kick off the first weekend of early voting.
Gutierrez has been Allred's main opponent in the race for the Democratic nomination.
The State Senator wasn't available for an interview Saturday, but a spokesperson for his campaign provided the following statement:
"Roland Gutierrez is the only candidate in the U.S. Senate race who has traveled over 10,000 miles on the road in Texas in 2024 to fire up Democrats to get out and vote. Roland will keep speaking with voters all across Texas through Election Day, because Texans deserve a Senator who is going to show up and fight for our democracy.”
Gutierrez has also been stumping across the state, and has stayed vocal on the need for gun control following the massacre at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.
In an interview with KVUE in January, Gutierrez once again pointed for the need for a ban on assault weapons and what he would do through legislation to address gun violence.
"At the end of the day, you have people that are mentally ill, that are making threats. We should be able to go and take away their guns for a period of time and find out what's going on," said Gutierrez.