WASHINGTON – Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Colin Allred have set a rapid pace of fundraising in their race for the U.S. Senate seat, raising nearly $170 million between them.

Cruz, who held a significant lead over Allred, raised $86.3 million from his 2018 re-election through mid-October.

Allred has raised $80.1 million since its launch last year — including $1 million in less than a day after the only candidates’ debate on Oct. 15.

Allred is expected to easily surpass the record-breaking $80.3 million amassed by Democrat Beto O’Rourke in his narrow loss to Cruz in 2018.

Cruz’s total does not include donations received through related committees such as his leadership PAC and a joint fundraising committee.

Cruz has received a significant boost from spending by outside groups that support him or oppose Allred.

The pro-Cruz Truth and Courage super PAC has spent more than $25.2 million on the race, including ads focused on LGBTQ issues, such as Allred’s vote against a law that would restrict transgender participation in school programs -Prohibits athletes from participating in sports for women or girls.

Allred responded with ads accusing Cruz and his allies of trying to distract voters and saying he “didn’t want boys playing girls’ sports.”

Truth and Courage has generated hundreds of thousands in advertising revenue through the podcast, which Cruz hosts three times a week. Advocacy groups have filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission over the agreement, saying it could violate campaign finance laws.

Significant donations to Truth and Courage include:

• $2 million from Mavericks majority owner Miriam Adelson. The Tel Aviv-born doctor is the widow of Sheldon Adelson and the largest shareholder in Las Vegas Sands. She has called on the U.S. to support Israel, including during an appearance in Austin last year when she said Texas leaders must work with Israel to fight Hamas. Cruz has been an outspoken defender of Israel, including its handling of the conflict in Gaza.
• $2.5 million from the Concord Fund, a group linked to conservative legal activist Leonard Leo. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Cruz has worked to confirm conservative federal judges.
• $6.6 million from Win It Back PAC, affiliated with the conservative Club for Growth. Win It Back PAC has also spent more than $8.4 million directly on the Cruz-Allred race.

Allred receives support from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which has spent about $13 million on television advertising.

Democratic super PACs and liberal interest groups have also attacked Cruz or supported Allred. WinSenate PAC, which supports Democrats, has spent more than $4.4 million on the race.

NRDC Action Votes also spent $300,000 on the race, including short, cheeky digital ads attacking Cruz using a popular Homer Simpson meme and referencing the senator’s trip to Cancun during a deadly blackout in the winter of 2021 became.

This super PAC is affiliated with the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group.

Allred has praised the group’s support and said he is proud of a “universal energy approach that addresses the climate crisis, creates energy jobs and ensures Texans have a safe and clean environment.”

Cruz said the group’s support shows Allred would be bad for the state’s oil and gas industry.

Left-leaning groups and unions have helped pad Allred’s campaign accounts. Like other Democrats, Allred has benefited from smaller donations coming in through the online portal ActBlue.

Such donations tend to increase around big events like the debate or Allred’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. Cruz’s negative national profile among Democrats helps any opponent raise money.

In appearances on conservative media, Cruz has implored viewers to donate to his campaign and described himself as the main target of Senate Democrats.

Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, said O’Rourke’s record-breaking fundraising during the defeat showed that simply raising large piles of money was not enough to ensure victory. Candidates need enough money to get their message across to voters. This can help close a support gap, but it only goes so far.

“Once you have enough money, having more doesn’t seem to help,” Jillson said.