Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez launched a campaign to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), becoming the second Democrat to challenge the Texas Republican in next year's elections.
Gutierrez announced his campaign Monday morning in a video that referenced the 2022 school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, that left two teachers and 19 children dead and the 2021 deadly winter storm that descended on the Lone Star State and led to widespread criticism of Cruz, who traveled to Cancun, Mexico, amid the weather problems.
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"Out of the darkest days, the people of Uvalde became more than constituents. They became family," Gutierrez said in his campaign video, referring to the district he represents. "We joined together to demand change."
Gutierrez declared his support for Second Amendment rights but wanted tighter gun laws in the wake of the shooting. “I’m a proud gun owner and believer in the Second Amendment, but after 19 children and two teachers died, the Republicans wouldn’t even allow us an opportunity to talk about ways to protect our kids,” he said.
In another clip in the video, Gutierrez said he was running against Cruz because "everything that we've seen in this state has been nothing but taking care of rich people while the poor people, the working class, get screwed over."
In May, Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX), a rising star within the House Democratic Caucus, became the first Democrat to launch a campaign against Cruz. "I’m running for U.S. Senate because Texans deserve a Senator whose team is Texas. Ted Cruz only cares about himself," he said at the time. He recently announced that he raised $6.2 million in the second quarter of 2023.
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With Gutierrez's entrance into the race, Allred faces a tough primary battle, and whoever wins will also have the difficult task of defeating Cruz in red Texas. Democrat Beto O'Rourke, a rising star within his party, narrowly lost to Cruz during the 2018 midterm elections.
Gutierrez hammered home key Democratic policies, including reversing abortion restrictions, allowing more access to healthcare, and improving the state's infrastructure. "It's time we turn frustration into action," he said.