The El Paso Times — a newspaper in the megachain Gannett — penned a syrupy profile Thursday thanks to reporter Adam Powell of Congressman Colin Allred (D-TX), whom they celebrated as someone who “isn’t running for cover” from the U.S.-Mexico border and “[d]rawing contrast on border policy” with incumbent Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).
Along with a nod to this manufactured push by Democrats to run campaigns centered around “freedom” (read: abortion), Powell scoffed at Cruz as having “taken a hands-off approach to immigration legislation while using crises at the border as fodder for his reelection bids.”
Powell proclaimed that Allred “said his opponent's unwillingness to act on meaningful immigration reform continues to hurt Texans in border communities and beyond.” He then uncritically ran a litany of quotes of Allred sounding like he was reciting Senate Democratic talking points.
Powell then turned his ire on Cruz (click “expand”):
Migrant crossings...are among the lowest experienced during President Joe Biden's administration.
Meanwhile, Cruz continues to campaign on failure at the border. A day ago, he posted on social media that Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris "has risked our national security by letting in millions of illegal aliens."
Allred recently took his border message to the airwaves with a television ad entitled "Out Here." The ad blasts Cruz for his continued inaction on immigration reform and features law enforcement officers from across the border region, including El Paso sheriff candidate Oscar Ugarte.
He likely has a sure bet on votes in the Democratic stronghold of El Paso, undoubtedly bolstered by support from state Sen. Cesar Blanco and U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, but he also believes the border is a key issue for voters all across Texas.
“I think all over the state folks are talking about it,” he said. “Obviously, it's more personal and more front of mind for our border communities but, whether it's Dallas or the Panhandle, this is something people talk about all the time.”
In a subhead entitled “[d]rawing contrast on border policy”, Powell again touted Allred’s boilerplate language about “a short- and long-term approach, beginning with the asylum process and the nation's legal immigration system”, targeting “countries behind some of the biggest crowds of migrants” (so, the countries Vice President Harris was supposed to address), and support for the border deal negotiated by the White House, Senate Democrats, and a small group of Republicans.
“Allred's position varies wildly from that of Cruz, who has so far during his time in the Senate taken a hands-off approach to immigration legislation while using crises at the border as fodder for his reelection bids,” Powell boasted ahead of an Allred quote falsely claiming Cruz “doesn’t want to do anything” to protect the American people.
Fact-check: Pants on fire.
Cruz has not only supported the border security measure passed by House Republicans — H.R. 2 — but also Kate’s Law (named after the late Kate Steinele), the Justice for Jocelyn Act (named after a Texas girl allegedly murdered by an illegal alien), the Protect Kids and Parents Act, and the No FAMS at the Border Act of 2024.
Most notably, he supported and helped pass the TRANQ Research Act, which became law late last year that targets a deadly street drug by the same name, a tranquilizer that a press release on the law said “is often combined with other drugs like fentanyl and Xanax.”
None of that — plus Cruz’s visits to the border — made Powell’s piece.
It seemed as though Powell never actually reached out to Cruz’s spokespeople for a comment.
The final few graphs were even sillier, falsely claiming Cruz wants to cut entitlements and how “Allred said his campaign is focused on one issue more than any other” in “freedom” and “the right to have control over one's own body”.
Once again, it sure comes off like Powell wasn’t concerned about writing a real news story.
