Ted Cruz to take on former NFL linebacker Colin Allred in Texas Senate showdown: Republican heads into November trying to save seat Democrats think they can turn blue

Rep. Colin Allred won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate race in Texas on Tuesday against eight others competing to take on Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.

Allred (D-Texas) won with 59 percent of the vote in the Super Tuesday race – and Texas State Sen. Roland Gutierrez came in a distant second with 17 percent.

Meanwhile, Sen. Cruz (R-Texas) won his renomination race with 88.3 percent. His two primary challengers earned approximately 5 percent each.

Now Cruz and Allred will face-off in the Texas Senate general election in November.

Democrats are hopeful that they can turn the seat blue despite Texas being the largest red state with a prevailing pro-Trump Republican base.

Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) won the Democratic Senate primary election in Texas on Super Tuesday among eight other competitors vying for the nomination

After Sen. Ted Cruz also easily secured a renomination, he is set for a showdown with Allred in November's general election

Cruz easily sailed to victory with nearly 89 percent of the vote in the Republican primary on Tuesday, March 5

Several Democrats and left-leaning voters in Tuesday's primary race told DailyMail.com that they hope Allred can boot Cruz from the seat he's held since 2013. 

Meanwhile, more than a handful of pro-Trump voters in Texas when asked if any of the Democrats could beat Cruz said: 'I hope not.'

Democrats were mobilized on Tuesday for Allred, a former NFL player and three-term U.S. congressman.

In 2018, Cruz narrowly beat Democrat Beto O'Rourke in a too-close-for-comfort general election. The incumbent ended up with 50.9 percent of the vote to his challengers 49.3 percent.

There are hopes from Democrats that this is the year they take the seat from Cruz.

Gene Schillaci, 66, told DailyMail.com when leaving his polling place in Dallas, Texas after casting his ballot in the Super Tuesday primary contest that he supports Allred because he 'has a positivity about him' that contrasts the 'negativity of Ted Cruz.'

Rep. Allred and his wife Alexandra Eber kiss as they celebrate his Senate Democratic primary win in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Allred was a linebacker for the NFL team the Tennessee Titans. He's pictured on the sidelines of a preseason game on August 11, 2007

Gene Schillaci, 66, told DailyMail.com when leaving his polling place in Dallas, Texas after casting his ballot in the Super Tuesday primary that he voted for Allred. Of Cruz, he said: 'I just can't conceive how they... dug this guy up, you know?'

'I just can't conceive how they came up with – where they dug this guy up, you know?' the Democratic voter added.

Republicans are confident that Texas isn't turning blue any time soon – and with 40 Electoral College votes up for grabs in the Lone Star State, the GOP can't afford to lose it to Democrats.

Roger Kelso, 78, of Dallas told DailyMail.com that he preferred Texas State Sen. Roland Gutierrez's platform more than Allred's, but voted for the man he thinks has the best shot of ousting Cruz in the general election in November. 

'The main thing I think we need to do is get rid of the guy I call 'Turd Cruz.' He's not been good for the state, he's not been good for the country,' Kelso said after voting on Tuesday. 'And I think Colin Allred would step in and be the guy.'

Voters headed to the polls in Texas on Tuesday to cast their ballots in the Super Tuesday primary contest, which included the presidential and senate race, among others

Pro-Cruz PAC Truth and Courage released an ad targeting Allred ahead of the polls closing in Texas on Tuesday

Texas State Sen. Roland Gutierrez came in second place against Allred with just under 17 percent of the vote. Pictured: Gutierrez campaigns near a polling site in San Antonio, Texas on Tuesday, March 5

Allred and Gutierrez are joined in the race by State Rep. and former DeSoto Mayor Carl Sherman; Mission-area tax accountant Meri Gomez; former Nueces County District Attorney Mark Gonzalez; Katy businessman Robert Hassan; law professor and retired Navy Capt. Steve Keough; Heli Rodriguez Prilliman, an entrepreneur from Fort Worth; and Thierry Tchenko, a political organizer in Houston.

Artist Joe Brock, 55, said he also cast his ballot for Allred in the Senate Democratic primary. 

'I definitely want Cruz the hell out. He is a snake,' Brock said, adding of Allred: 'I think he's a good politician. He's strong. We need fresh blood.'

One Republican expressed their confidence that Cruz won't get ousted by a Democrat, simply saying 'no' when asked if there is any concern he will lose his seat.

One thing Democrats and Republicans in Texas seemed to agree on was that immigration is at the top of their mind when they cast their ballots in the primary election.

Democrats claim Republicans are obstructing any real progress on the issue, while Republicans say the opposing party wants open borders and mass illegal immigration.