Texas Senator Ted Cruz officially won re-election Tuesday evening, beating out Democratic Representative Colin Allred, after a close race between the candidates. The victory for Cruz comes after Allred looked to be the first person in 30 years to win a statewide election in the nation’s second-most populous state,

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz will win reelection to a third term, CNN projects, defeating Democratic challenger Rep. Colin Allred and denying Democrats one of their best chances to mitigate potential losses elsewhere.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, sought to fend off an underdog challenge Tuesday from Democratic Rep. Colin Allred in one of the year's most expensive races, which is testing shifts in America's biggest red state and could factor into the fight for U.S. Senate control.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz prevailed in a tough reelection campaign, defeating Democratic Rep. Colin Allred in Texas' unexpectedly competitive Senate race. Cruz's win is a key hold for Republicans in a seat that Democrats saw as one of their best opportunities for a flip.

Incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Colin Allred's Senate race is among the most closely watched this election cycle.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas won reelection Tuesday, defeating U.S. Rep. and former NFL linebacker Colin Allred in the state's Senate race.

In keeping his seat, he dashed rising hopes among some Democrats that years of demographic changes and urbanization could start to flip the state.