Attention Ted Cruz: Not All Black Attorneys Look Alike

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(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Last week, Congressman Colin Allred announced he was coming for Ted Cruz’s seat in the Senate. The all-lawyer throw down promises to be a highlight of the upcoming election cycle, with Allred already going hard. His announcement called out Cruz on his response to January 6th (all hat, no cattle), calling out the senator for jetting off to Cancun while Texas was in the middle of a deep freeze, and for being wildly self-centered instead of focused on the lives of Texans.

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But Cruz — or at least someone on his payroll — took the opportunity to fundraise for the incumbent’s campaign. Only problem? He included the below image in the text blast.

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Image via Twitter

However, that inset picture is not Colin Allred. This is Allred.

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U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) (Photo by Emil Lippe/Getty Images)

The image Cruz’s campaign used is of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

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Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

They are both Black men with law degrees, but… they are very much not the same person. Indeed, there’s a 10-year age difference between the men and a number of pretty obvious physical differences too. Both of the men are pretty noteworthy political figures — and Allred is also a former NFL player — meaning you have to be in possession of some egregiously terrible Google skills to make the mistake.

The snafu has naturally been noted on Twitter.

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That's a picture of @ManhattanDA Alvin Bragg…@TedCruz, do you think all black people look alike, or is it just the people working for you that do?

Either way, can't wait for @ColinAllredTX to retire you in ‘24. pic.twitter.com/qnbKqBY8Ej

— Alex Bores (@AlexBores) May 6, 2023

Ted Cruz’s team has denied all responsibility for the fundraising image and blamed an unnamed vendor for the problem.

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Cruz spox denies campaign staff involvement in this message, said it was by one of their vendors. The link in the text goes to Cruz winred page

“The image was mistakenly sent by a vendor, and was not approved by Senator Cruz or his campaign.”

(Reposted to clarify earlier tweet) https://t.co/Kht3sNrNB5

— Matthew Choi (@matthewchoi2018) May 6, 2023

I’m not sure the embarrassing move will move the needle for undecided voters in Texas. But it is a bad look, suited more for an episode of Veep than real life. Yet, here we are.

Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on

Topics

Alvin Bragg, Colin Allred, Government, Ted Cruz