Ted Cruz Desperately Dodges Major Abortion Question in Allred Debate
Ted Cruz refused to answer a key question in his Texas Senate debate against Democratic challenger Colin Allred.

After spending weeks trying to run away from his anti-abortion stance on the campaign trail, Senator Ted Cruz was held accountable by his opponent and the moderators of Tuesday nightâs Texas Senate debate.
During the debate against Democratic challenger Representative Colin Allred, Cruz tried to dodge a question on whether he supported the right to an abortion in cases of rape and incest.
In Texas, abortion care is not permitted, except to save the motherâs life. When initially asked if he supported exceptions to the stateâs draconian abortion law, Cruz gave a nonanswer, simply saying that states should determine their own laws.
âWell, listen, abortion is an issue that many Texans, many Americans, care deeply about, and itâs an issue that people of good faith can disagree,â Cruz said.
âYou did not directly answer the question,â said debate moderator Gromer Jeffers, who again tried to push Cruz to respond to the question. âWhy is this an issue you wonât address, about saying whether you support or oppose exceptions for rape and incest?â
âWhy do you keep asking me that?â asked an exasperated Cruz.
Q: Why wonât you answer whether you support exceptions for rape and incest?
â DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) October 16, 2024
Ted Cruz: *nervous laughing* Why do you keep asking me that? pic.twitter.com/Ox80eGAtsq
Cruz is clearly avoiding the question because he knows that abortion bans that donât permit exceptions for rape and incest arenât popular with voters, even in the state of Texas and even among Republicans.
He quickly tried to change the subject and accused Allred of allowing minors to get abortions without their parentsâ permission. âHe has voted in favor of striking down Texas law that gives parents the right to be notified and consent,â said Cruz. âHeâs voted in favor of striking down Texasâ law and legalizing abortion up to and including the eighth and ninth month of pregnancy.â
âSenator Cruz just called himself pro-life. Youâre not,â responded Allred. âItâs not pro-life to deny women care so long that they canât have children anymore. Itâs not pro-life to force a victim of rape to carry a their rapist baby. Itâs not pro-life that our maternal mortality has skyrocketed up by 56 percent.
âWhen Ted Cruz says heâs pro-life, he doesnât mean yours.â