Colin Allred will run for Texas Senate seat [View all]
Source: CBS News
Updated on: July 1, 2025 / 5:03 AM EDT
Former Texas Democratic Rep. Colin Allred formally launched his 2026 U.S. Senate campaign Tuesday morning, entering what is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched races of the cycle. A former NFL linebacker, Allred represented the Dallas area in the House for three terms before mounting an unsuccessful challenge to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024.
So far, much of the early attention in the Texas race has centered on the increasingly bitter Republican primary, where Attorney General Ken Paxton — a staunch ally of President Trump — is challenging longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn. The 2026 race is emerging as a key target for national Democrats hoping to expand their Senate map under the new Trump administration.
Democrats have long seen Texas as tantalizing but elusive political ground. Cruz's 2018 and 2024 re-election campaigns ranked among the most expensive Senate contests in the country, with each race drawing more than $100 million in contributions. Cruz ultimately edged out former Rep. Beto O'Rourke by 2.6 points in 2018 and defeated Allred by 8.5 points in 2024.
Cornyn, by contrast, has enjoyed more comfortable margins. He defeated Democrat MJ Hegar by 9.6 points in 2020 and won re-election in 2014 by a commanding 27.2-point spread over Democrat David Alameel. Still, some Texas Democrats see signs of momentum and believe the political environment in 2026 could finally break their way — especially if Paxton, who is leading in early primary polls, manages to unseat Cornyn. Cornyn has tried to capitalize on the risk, warning that a Paxton nomination "would be catastrophic."
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/colin-allred-run-texas-senate-seat-ken-paxton-john-cornyn/
I supported him with $$$ against Cruz and would do so again against Cornyn (or Paxton if Paxton prevails).
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