The debate, scheduled three weeks before Election Day, will be a key opportunity for both candidates to motivate undecided voters.
DALLAS — Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz and his Democratic opponent, Rep. Colin Allred, will face off in their first televised debate on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. at WFAA studios in downtown Dallas.
The Texas debate, scheduled three weeks before Election Day, will be a key opportunity for both candidates to try to sway undecided voters in a potentially close November election.
Here’s what you need to know about “The Texas Debate” and how to watch it.
TEGNA’s reach in Texas is unmatched by any other media company, reaching 87% of Texans statewide. The debate will air across TEGNA Texas stations’ broadcast and digital platforms, as well as TEGNA Texas stations’ free streaming apps available on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices.
WFAA (Dallas/Fort Worth)KHOU (Houston)KVUE (Austin)KENS (San Antonio)KCEN (Waco)KAGS (College Station)KYTX (Tyler)KIII (Corpus Christi)KBMT-KJAC (Beaumont)KXVA (Abilene)KIDY (San Angelo)KWES (Midland and Odessa)
“The Texas Debate” will be moderated by WFAA senior political reporter Jason Whiteley and Dallas Morning News political reporter Gromar Jeffers Jr.
“No one has more experience than WFAA’s team of veteran political journalists,” said WFAA Vice President and Bureau Chief Carolyn Mango. “This debate will reach every corner of Texas, giving voters an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates about the issues that matter most to them.”
TEGNA will also distribute the debates free of charge, subject to certain market restrictions, to radio and television stations in Texas through the Texas Broadcasters Association.
“This is an important election for Texas,” said Leslie McCardell, WFAA’s executive news director. “As a local broadcaster, we’re committed to promoting civic engagement, and we look forward to hosting an open and informative debate that voters can watch live on our many platforms.”
Cruz was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and is seeking his third six-year term as a senator. Cruz is the ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
Allred was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 to represent the Dallas area. She was one of two Democrats to win a U.S. House seat from Texas that year.
Cruz narrowly defeated former Rep. Beto O’Rourke in 2018, the closest Texas Senate race in decades, as the pair lost their seats by just 3 percentage points.
Watch Senator Ted Cruz’s full Inside Texas Politics interview below.
Watch the full Inside Texas Politics interview with Rep. Collin Allred below.
