What to know about Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, as the pair fights for Cruz's U.S. Senate seat.

Republicans have a stranglehold on every statewide elected office in Texas and control the state Supreme Court, both chambers of the Legislature and both U.S.

Ted Cruz’s re-election campaign has poured resources into attack ads that focus on transgender participation in youth sports. His Democratic opponent, Representative Colin Allred, responded with his own ad.