Allred Supports Oil to Challenge Cruz

In the heated Texas Senate race, both Rep. Colin Allred (D) and incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz (R) share a common ground: unwavering support for the state's oil industry. The debate on Tuesday night saw these candidates crossing swords over multiple issues, including abortion rights, 2020 election overturn efforts, and border security policies. 
 
However, when it came to representing America's oil and gas industry in the Senate, their unified stance was evident. Both acknowledged this sector as a key driver of extreme weather conditions but also a major casualty of such climatic aberrations. 
 
During the debate, Cruz addressed Texas' escalating insurance rate issue by linking it with fossil fuel emissions, which are contributing to unprecedented weather patterns that might soon be considered normalcy. He cited reports from The Texas Tribune regarding how climate-related disasters led to state insurance premiums rising at twice the national rate in 2023. 
 
When questioned about federal intervention for insurance solutions, Cruz shifted focus towards inflation being an overarching concern for families and proposed increased fossil fuel production as its antidote. 
 
He blamed increasing energy costs on "Congressman Allred and [Vice President] Kamala Harris's war on Texas oil and gas." His argument hinged primarily on Allred siding with Democrats in February during a House vote aiming to overturn the Biden administration's pause on permitting new liquified natural gas (LNG) export terminals due to environmental concerns along with fears of domestic price hikes influenced by foreign turmoil or deep-pocketed overseas governments. 
 
Allred defended his position through an op-ed published in May calling upon Biden to lift restrictions while advocating for diversified energy sources inclusive of renewables alongside nuclear power, geothermal energy, and natural gas, among others. 
 
While he admitted voting against some Republican pro-oil initiatives, unlike Biden and Harris, who have overseen record production levels, he has consistently advocated protecting jobs linked with the oil and gas sector even more fervently than them, according to his August speech in Houston. 
 
Both candidates have received significant donations from the oil and gas industry during this cycle, as per data from nonpartisan watchdog OpenSecrets. Cruz outperformed Allred by receiving nearly a million dollars compared to his opponent's $300,000 from fossil fuel interests, accounting for more than 20% of his lifetime contribution totaling around $4.7 million. 
 
However, Allred has managed to secure almost four times more funding (around $40,000) from renewable energy sources compared to Cruz's meager $11,000. Despite this fact, contributions linked with wind and solar power still trail behind those made by the beer and building materials industries among the congressman’s supporters.