Senator Ted Cruz, a staunch opponent of abortion rights, is facing a challenging re-election campaign where reproductive rights have emerged as a pivotal issue for voters.
Cruz, a Republican from Texas who is seeking his third term in the Senate, is competing against Democrat U.S. Rep. Colin Allred from Dallas. Allred has made restoring abortion access a cornerstone of his campaign, attributing the fall of Roe v. Wade to Cruz’s influence.
Recently, Allred’s campaign, fueled by financial support from Senate Democrats, launched a television and streaming advertisement criticizing Cruz’s anti-abortion stance.
Since the overturning of Roe, Texas has imposed stringent abortion restrictions, banning most procedures even in cases of rape and incest. Cruz has since shifted focus, emphasizing that abortion should be a state matter and voicing support for in vitro fertilization.
Despite multiple attempts by The Texas Tribune to interview Cruz, his campaign provided only links to past statements, which did not address specific inquiries regarding his abortion policies and his views on IVF.
While Democrats have struggled to win statewide in Texas for three decades, the abortion issue could present a challenge for Cruz, who narrowly defeated Beto O’Rourke in 2018. Although surveys indicate Texans prioritize issues like border security and the economy, there is a growing sentiment that the state’s abortion laws are excessively stringent.
Abortion Ban
The reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022 was hailed by Cruz as “nothing short of a massive victory for life,” emphasizing that it returned abortion policy to the states.
In 2021, Cruz cosponsored a 20-week federal abortion ban with exceptions, but did not support a 15-week ban introduced in 2022. In 2023, he co-introduced legislation to allow states to exclude abortion providers from Medicaid funding. These measures did not advance.
Although Cruz has refrained from clearly stating his support for a federal ban, he has previously indicated that abortion policy decisions are the responsibility of state governments.
In a recent statement, former President Donald Trump expressed opposition to a national abortion ban, despite varied positions during his current presidential campaign.
Abortion Exemptions
Cruz did not address questions about including exemptions for rape and incest in Texas law. During a 2016 presidential campaign event, he expressed opposition to a rape exemption, emphasizing punishment for the crime but not holding the child responsible.
Texas permits abortions only when the mother’s life is at risk, but critics argue this exception is ambiguous, leaving women without necessary care. Cruz pointed to a Texas Supreme Court decision directing the Texas Medical Board to set clearer rules as justification for his stance.
IVF
Cruz has become a vocal proponent of IVF, describing it as a “miracle.” In response to concerns about IVF access following an Alabama court ruling, Cruz introduced legislation to protect IVF federally by excluding states that ban it from Medicaid funds.
The bill, blocked by Democrats, was criticized for not establishing a federal right to fertility treatments. Cruz argued that there are states with both personhood amendments and IVF protections, indicating compatibility between the two.
Filibuster
Cruz has accused Allred of holding extreme abortion views, a claim Allred disputes. Allred has blamed Cruz for the end of Roe and the subsequent abortion bans, citing his support for anti-abortion nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court.
As an advocate for abortion rights, Allred has supported legislation to federally protect abortion access and criticized local efforts to restrict access.
If elected, Allred plans to support changing the filibuster to pass federal abortion protections, arguing that the current use of the filibuster is unprecedented and hinders legislative progress.
This story was originally published by the Texas Tribune
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