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Ted Cruz touts endorsement from Kim Ogg, a Houston Democrat, in bid for crossover votes
Texas -- Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, a Democrat who has been on the outs with her party in recent years, is endorsing U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz over his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, according to the GOP senator's campaign.Ogg is set to announce her support at a Tuesday evening campaign rally with Cruz, who is vying for a third Senate term in November against Allred, D-Dallas. It is perhaps Ogg's sharpest break yet from her party after several years of escalating strife with local Democratic leaders, culminating in her landslide defeat in the March primary.
In a statement shared with The Texas Tribune, Ogg pointed to her and Cruz's mutual interest in cracking down on violent crime, which she said is "bigger than partisanship." She also noted that Cruz recently sought her support for his legislation aimed at keeping migrants in custody if detention beds are available - a proposal sparked by the killing of a 12-year-old Houston girl who authorities say was murdered by two Venezuelan migrants who entered the country illegally.
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"I am endorsing Senator Ted Cruz because he has taken action at a time when Americans want solutions, not excuses about why Democrats and Republicans won't work together," said Ogg, who in recent weeks penned an op-ed with Cruz and appeared with him at a press conference to promote his bill.
Ogg, the top prosecutor in Texas' biggest county, is the most prominent Democrat yet to endorse Cruz, who made his name as a tea party firebrand but has sought to emphasize his bipartisan bona fides ahead of November. Earlier this year, Cruz launched a group, "Democrats for Cruz," to spotlight his work across the aisle on Texas-specific issues that typically fly under the national radar. For one, Cruz has touted his effort with U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, to streamline the permitting process for bridges used to cross the Texas-Mexico border to encourage international trade.
But Ogg's stamp of approv