Texans have little escape from the growing waves of attack ads in the state’s hottest race Nov. 5, the U.S. Senate contest pitting Republican incumbent Ted Cruz against U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas.

What to know about Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, as the pair fights for Cruz's U.S. Senate seat.

Republican Ted Cruz, the state’s junior senator, is hoping Texans send him to Washington for another six-year term. While his Democratic challenger, Dallas-area Congressman Colin Allred, has closed the gap in recent weeks,