In Texas, Biden targets Senator Ted Cruz, raises millions

By Jeff Mason

DALLAS (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden assailed Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz in his home state on Thursday as part of a fundraising tour that has raised millions for Biden's re-election campaign.

Biden, at a fundraiser at the Dallas home of lawyer Russell Budd, urged donors to support U.S. Representative Colin Allred, the Democratic nominee for the Senate seat held by Cruz.

“The stakes couldn’t be higher across the board. And with your help, we’re going to win up and down the ticket, and that includes here in Texas,” Biden said.

“You've got to elect Colin as your next senator... so Ted Cruz joins another loser, Donald Trump," Biden said, referring to his likely Republican opponent in the November presidential election.

Budd announced that the event, the first of two fundraisers for Biden in Texas Thursday evening, raised $2.5 million, adding to the tally collected by Biden this week on a Western swing. Biden's campaign raised more than $53 million in February and reported it has $155 million cash on hand.

Trump's campaign reported Wednesday it had raised $10.9 million in February.

Cruz, who lost the race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, has been a frequent Biden critic, particularly on Biden's handling of migration along the Texas border with Mexico.

Polls show a tight race between Cruz and Allred, a former professional football player and House Representative.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Steve Holland; Editing by Heather Timmons and Gerry Doyle)