Additional Coverage:
Allred Shifts Gears, Exits Senate Race for House Bid, Shaking Up Texas Primaries
Former Democratic Representative Colin Allred made a significant announcement Monday, withdrawing from the Texas Senate race to instead pursue a seat in the U.S. House. This eleventh-hour decision, coming just hours before the filing deadline, sends ripples through the state’s Democratic primaries.
Allred confirmed his intention to run for the newly drawn 33rd Congressional District in North Texas. This move comes as Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett has been publicly weighing her own Senate campaign, with her decision expected later today.
In a statement, Allred explained his strategic pivot: “In the past few days, I’ve come to believe that a bruising Senate Democratic primary and runoff would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers Paxton, Cornyn, or Hunt.” He concluded, “That’s why I’ve made the difficult decision to end my campaign for the U.S. Senate.”
Allred emphasized his continued commitment to public service, stating, “I’m nowhere near done serving my community and our state.” He highlighted his connection to the 33rd District, describing it as “racially gerrymandered by Trump in an effort to further rig our democracy.”
Despite this, he noted, “it’s also the community where I grew up attending public schools and watching my mom struggle to pay for our groceries. … It’s the community where I was raised, and where Aly and I are now raising our two boys.
It is my home.”
Allred previously ran for Senate last year, losing to GOP Senator Ted Cruz by nine points. The redrawn 33rd District, however, presents a significantly different political landscape. Had the new lines been in place last year, former President Donald Trump would have lost the district by 33 points, making it a strong Democratic stronghold.
Allred’s withdrawal from the Senate race opens the field, potentially featuring Crockett and state Representative James Talarico, who has already declared his candidacy. Talarico gained national attention for his role in the legislative walkout aimed at blocking the redistricting efforts.
Meanwhile, Crockett has indicated that internal polling suggests a strong position for her in a Senate bid, emphasizing her ability to build a coalition of “Black and brown” voters. In a recent interview, she stated, “The data says that I can win,” and added, “I am closer to yes than I am no” regarding a Senate run. Sources confirm Crockett held discussions with both Allred and Talarico over the weekend.
Allred’s shift to the House race also creates uncertainty for other Democratic incumbents in North Texas, including Crockett, Marc Veasey, and Julie Johnson, as they navigate the new district boundaries ahead of Monday evening’s filing deadline. Notably, the Texas Democratic Party’s unofficial filings list shows Representative Veasey, who had previously endorsed Allred for Senate, has also filed to run in the 33rd District.