'Never seen a linebacker punt a senator': Critics agree Cruz lost debate in a 'landslide'

The debate performance between Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and his well-funded opponent, Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, lit up social media Tuesday night and the majority of it wasn’t positive for the state’s junior senator – with even longtime Republicans criticizing Cruz.

“Wow, @ColinAllredTX just destroyed @tedcruz in the debate tonight,” wrote former George W. Bush strategist Matthew Dowd in a social media post. “Showed Cruz has zero integrity, is not a principled conservative, and only looks out for himself. Look forward to voting for Allred during early voting.”

“Never seen a linebacker punt a senator before,” conservative lawyer George Conway wrote on X.

Conway’s post was a response to an exchange in which Allred, a former NFL player, said: “When Cruz starts talking about teen sports, you gotta watch out because the only position he ever played was left out. I’m not trying to be mean but sit this one out.”

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“Colin Allred is having a remarkably effective debate against Ted Cruz. Just eviscerating his all hat and no cattle views on immigration,” according to Democratic pollster and strategist Matt McDermott.

Scott Dworkin, co-founder of the Democratic Coalition, wrote in his own social media post that “Ted Cruz lost the debate to Colin Allred in a landslide,” adding “It wasn’t even close. That was embarrassing for Cruz, even for him. Pathetic. Vote Allred.”

The Senate race’s first and only debate in Dallas came as polls show Allred is gaining ground in the steep hill to become the first Democrat elected to statewide office in the traditionally red state since the 1990s.