The 2018 Texas Senate race is heating up as Republican incumbent senator Ted Cruz takes a nine point lead in a new poll over Democratic candidate Beto O’Rourke. The race has been close since polls were conducted and released. 10 percent of voters are still undecided on who they will vote for and voter registration surged on the final day to register.

Ted Cruz, born in Calgary, Canada has served as Texas senator since 2013 and is in a heated race with O’Rourke. O’Rourke formally announced that he would run for senator on March 31, 2017, and won the Democratic Party nomination after winning 68 percent of the vote.

The reason this election year is so odd for Texas is that a democrat hasn’t been up for election in the Texas senate since 1994. Perhaps, many want some policy changes. A recent article in The Texas Tribune suggests that many Texans support higher spending on education, especially pre-K classes, and following the tragedy at Santa Fe High School many Texans shifted their thoughts on gun safety in Texas.

The divide in Texas has never been larger over many topics in the state. Immigration, abortion, environmental policies, gun rights, and education all are impacting voters’ decisions.

Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke held their first debate at Southern Methodist University on September 21, 2018. The two rivals debated about immigration, gun laws, and even President Trump. After the debate, a poll from Quinnipiac University shows that 54 percent of voters support Cruz and 45 percent support O’Rourke.

So what can you do to contribute as a registered voter in Texas? You have to form an opinion on issues and vote on the person you want to represent Texas.

One way you can form your own opinion is by watching their debates. The two will face off twice more before the election; the next one will be held on October 18 on CNN. The election is on November 6 and early voting begins on October 22.

Both candidates hope to win the votes of the 10 percent of undecided voters which could be the deciding factor in the election; they say that they’re ready to campaign with all of their ability in this last crucial month.