Colin Allred says Ted Cruz 'hid in a supply closet' while Jan. 6 rioters stormed the Capitol
Democratic strategists are hoping that if presidential nominee Kamala Harris performs well in November, Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) — who is running against incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in the Lone Star State's 2024 U.S. Senate race — will be among the down-ballot beneficiaries.
Allred knows that he's fighting an uphill battle, as Texas is still a red state. But a University of Texas poll released in early August found Allred trailing Cruz by only 2 percent.
One of Allred's many lines of attack against Cruz is the far-right senator's response to the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol Building. In an interview with Baptist News, Allred recalled the day the Capitol was attacked — noting that he played in the National Football League before serving in Congress.
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"When you're a former professional football player in a situation like that," Allred told Baptist News, "people will unsurprisingly look to you for protection. So I took my suit jacket off and got ready to take on whatever came through that door."
The Democratic congressman continued, "That day, we came closer to losing our democracy than a lot of people realize, and Ted Cruz is responsible for that. He spread the lie that the election was stolen and was the senator who objected to the certification of the results in an attempt to overturn the will of the American people. But when the mob stormed the Capitol, he hid in a supply closet."
Allred also discussed his religious views during the interview, drawing a distinction between traditional Christianity and far-right Christian nationalism.
The former Baylor Bears linebacker told Baptist News, "My Christian values inspire me to fight for a future where seniors can afford their medications, women can make their own health care decisions alongside their families, faith and doctors, and our border is not only secure but reflective of our values as Texans. Ted Cruz and the Christian nationalist movement fight for a future that simply does not include or care about many Texans."
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