Ted Cruz, Colin Allred campaign in Lubbock ahead of early voting

The two Texas men vying to earn a seat in the U.S. Senate — incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred — each stopped in Lubbock in recent days to rally for votes before early voting begins Monday.

Cruz held a rally Thursday morning at the Texas Grill and Bar (also known as The Spoon), while Allred stopped to stump last Saturday at Texas Tech.

About 500 people packed the central Lubbock bar for Cruz's appearance, which was part of a 53-city bus tour. The senator focused on topics like the economy, border security and transgender issues, criticizing Allred's voting record in Congress.

More: Ted Cruz, Colin Allred clash in US Senate debate. Here's how each candidate scored points.

Allred held a roundtable with area farmers and ranchers Saturday morning, Oct. 12, before holding an "offensive huddle" rally at Texas Tech's Student Union Building, seeking Lubbockites' votes in his bid to unseat the 12-year senator.

He touched on issues facing rural Texans, like health care, and stressed the importance of bipartisanship in Congress.

Allred's visit came just days before, and Cruz's stop just days after, the two candidates faced off in a televised debate Tuesday in Dallas.

Early voting in Texas begins Monday and runs through Nov. 1. Election Day is Nov. 5.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Ted Cruz, Colin Allred campaign in Lubbock ahead of early voting