[Craig Nigrelli]

WITH THE ELECTION JUST THREE WEEKS AWAY, THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE U.S. senate WILL BE A KEY THEME ON ELECTION NIGHT.  THE UPPER CHAMBER IS CURRENTLY A 51-49 NEAR SPLIT. 

REPUBLICANS ARE COUNTING ON A PICK-UP IN WEST VIRGINIA WHERE DEMOCRAT TURNED INDEPENDENT JOE MANCHIN IS RETIRING AND REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE JIM JUSTICE IS LEADING IN THE POLLS.   THE GOP IS ALSO COUNTING ON FLIPPING THE DEMOCRATIC SEAT IN MONTANA, WHERE INCUMBENT JON TESTER IS FACING TROUBLE AS HE TRAILS REPUBLICAN TIM SHEEHY.   IF ALL OF THIS HOLDS,  REAL CLEAR POLITICS IS FORECASTING THAT REPUBLICANS WILL TAKE CONTROL OF THE SENATE BY A 51-49 MARGIN. 

HOWEVER, THERE IS A DEVELOPING SITUATION IN TEXAS THAT MIGHT PLAY A HUGE ROLE.   TWO-TERM REPUBLICAN TED CRUZ IS SUDDENLY LOCKED IN A VERY TIGHT RACE WITH DEMOCRAT COLIN ALLRED.  ALLRED IS A FORMER NFL FOOTBALL PLAYER WHO IS NOW A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER.  POLITICO IS REPORTING THAT INTERNAL REPUBLICAN POLLING SHOWS CRUZ IS UP BY JUST ONE POINT. 

DEMOCRATS ARE NOW POURING MONEY INTO THE STATE, HOPING TO BOOST ALLRED’S CHANCES.     CRUZ RECENTLY TOLD FOX NEWS,  “DEMOCRATS ARE COMING AFTER ME WITH ALL THEY HAVE. “  IN FACT, ON A RECENT CAMPAIGN TRIP TO TEXAS,  SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS TOLD DEMOCRATS : “ IT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD IF ALLRED IS ELECTED TO THE SENATE” SAYING IT WOULD GIVE DEMOCRATS  A CHANCE TO CONTROL THE SENATE AND QUOTE “BEGIN TO PASS LEGISLATION THAT BENEFITS WORKING PEOPLE. “

THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT RECENTLY MOVED THE RACE FROM **LIKELY REPUBLICAN TO LEAN REPUBLICAN. ** 

CRUZ AND ALLRED ARE SLATED TO DEBATE **TONIGHT** IN DALLAS. 

BACK IN 2018, CRUZ SURVIVED ANOTHER TOUGH CHALLENGE, DEFEATING DEMOCRAT BETO O’ROURKE BY A NARROW 51-TO-48 MARGIN IN A RACE THAT ALSO

GARNERED NATIONAL ATTENTION.  I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.  FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP