Yep. An unapologetic gun-grabbing San Francisco-styled far-Left socialist lost in Texas by less than 3 points against a man who won his previous Senate race by 16 points.
Cruz won his first senate race in 2012, a Presidential year. He benefited from a large turnout in a solid red state and the growing dislike of Obama who received 3.5 million less votes nationally than in 2008.
Cruz proved to be a sore loser in 2016 who pointedly refused to endorse Trump at the GOP convention despite being given a primetime speaking spot on TV. Instead, he told people to “vote their conscience.” Cruz was never popular in the Senate having few friends. The term likeable is seldom used for Cruz.
Gov Abbott clearly outperformed Cruz. Of course, he did not have an opponent with over $100 million and most of Hollywood trying to unseat him.