Recently Ted Cruz was elected to his third term as Texas Senator. Cruz defeated Congressman Colin Allred in a hard-fought, expensive campaign. Despite his claims of becoming more moderate – a lawmaker who “gets things done” – Cruz’s record and past actions tell a different story. He may have campaigned as a centrist, but he’s the same Cruz who abandoned Texas for Cancun when we had no running water or power during a winter storm. He’s the same man who hid in the closet on January 6th, as the Capitol was stormed by the very people who support him. To see him win again, with his triumphant walkout to “Eye of the Tiger,” feels like a slap in the face to all of us who hoped for something better, and as a Texan woman, I find myself feeling more than disappointed – I’m genuinely afraid of what comes next.
This election wasn’t just about Cruz and Allred for me and countless other women in Texas. It was about something bigger: a hope that our rights, autonomy, and voices would finally be heard. Allred campaigned on issues that matter deeply to Texas women, fighting for reproductive rights and advocating for the people who restrictive laws have silenced, but the message sent by Cruz’s win is clear: those who hold power in Texas are doubling down, ignoring our needs, and reinforcing an agenda that doesn’t see women’s rights as fundamental.
When I think of Cruz’s impact on Texas, my mind goes straight to stories like that of Kate Cox, who couldn’t get an abortion despite her fetus having a fatal defect – a decision forced upon her by the very laws Cruz supports. This isn’t an isolated incident; it’s part of a growing trend of restrictive policies that ignore women’s realities. Our rights are being chipped away, and the recent election feels like a step backward, as if that future where women’s voices are genuinely respected has been pushed further out of reach.
It’s not just reproductive rights where Cruz’s policies make my blood run cold. As a Texan born to a Mexican father, I can’t ignore his actions against immigrants. Cruz, born in Canada to a Cuban immigrant family, has turned his back on those who share a similar story. He’s rejected a pathway to citizenship for more than 800,000 “Dreamers” (the term based on never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act that would have provided similar protections for young immigrants), instead aligning himself with Trump’s harsh immigration stance, advocating for the deportation of 12 million undocumented immigrants. His “solutions” are draconian at best: co-sponsoring bills to tighten asylum restrictions, calling for more border patrol agents, and pushing for an extended border wall. These aren’t compassionate policies – they’re punishments that treat immigrants as threats, not people.
And while Cruz talks about values, our public education system is being left to deteriorate. Texas now leads the nation in banned books, with over 1,120 titles pulled from shelves. We rank near the bottom in high school diploma attainment, yet Cruz would instead defund public schools in favor of private institutions that most can’t afford. For public school students, his ideas look like more armed police on campus, more banned books, and burdening students with loans. This isn’t about creating a better future for Texas youth; it’s about controlling and limiting what they can access and achieve.
As a Mexican-American woman, I feel a deep sadness and even embarrassment seeing that 45% of Latinos in Texas voted for Trump – and likely Cruz too. Influenced by outdated machismo values, many seem to vote against their interests, dismissing candidates who could make their lives safer and better. It’s painful to see our community sometimes reject progress, choosing instead to preserve values that ultimately harm us all.Cruz’s victory feels like a nightmare that won’t end for those who see the writing on the wall. This isn’t just about one politician or one party – it’s a signal that Texas will continue on a path that sidelines women, immigrants, and young people. We’re not just losing elections; we’re losing the Texas we want, one that is fair, safe, and free. And until enough of us stand up and say, “Enough is enough,” I fear we’ll stay trapped in this cycle, with our lives, futures, and voices hanging in the balance.