Beto O’Rourke vs. Ted Cruz is the most expensive U.S. Senate race in America

Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke, Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz have amassed vast amounts of money during their campaign. Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke, Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz have amassed vast amounts of money during their campaign. Photo: File, Staff / Houston Chronicle Photo: File, Staff / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 56 Caption Close Beto O’Rourke vs. Ted Cruz is the most expensive U.S. Senate race in America 1 / 56 Back to Gallery

The battle in Texas is now the most expensive race for the U.S. Senate in the nation — by a long shot.

Nearly $47 million has been amassed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and his Democratic rival Beto O’Rourke, almost $8 million more than any other U.S. Senate race in the nation and more than double the amount built up in super-competitive races in Missouri, Florida and Indiana.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money in politics, no other Senate race has seen more than $40 million raised, and only two (Massachusetts and Ohio) have surpassed $30 million.

And the Cruz vs. O’Rourke numbers do not include the millions of dollars gathered by so-called Super PACs that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to indirectly support or oppose candidates. For instance, past Cruz donors have helped build up more than $2.7 million in a Super PAC called Texans Are.

The battle in Texas is also nearly dead-even when it comes to fundraising. Cruz, seeking his second six-year term, has raised $23.4 million compared to O’Rourke, who has raised $23.3 million.

It makes Cruz the biggest fundraiser of all the Republicans running for the Senate. O’Rourke ranks No. 2 among Democrats, trailing only U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat frequently mentioned as a presidential contender in 2020 who has raised almost $27 million for her re-election campaign.

Cruz is considered the favorite in the race against O’Rourke, an El Paso congressman. No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in the state since former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen left office in 1993, and no El Paso candidate from any party has ever won statewide office in Texas.

While most national political experts believe Cruz will win re-election, there has been some re-assessing of the race of late because of O’Rourke’s strong fundraising and recent polls. Nathan Gonzales of Inside Elections earlier this year had Texas considered a “solid” state for Republicans alongside Mississippi, Nebraska and Wyoming. He has Republicans still favored but now lists it as a “likely” Republican victory.

More Information Top 5 most expensive U.S. Senate races $47M - Texas $39M - Massachusetts $34M - Ohio $22M - Missouri $21M - Indiana Source: Center for Responsive Politics

jeremy.wallace@chron.com