Tea party-backed Republican Ted Cruz has won the race for Texas' open U.S. Senate seat. Cruz beat former Democratic state representative Paul Sadler. The ex-state solicitor general was heavily favored since Texas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988. Sadler conceded the U.S. Senate race to Republican Ted Cruz, urging supporters to "be proud of the voters' choice." Cruz succeeds retiring Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.