DALLAS – Former Texas congressman Colin Allred launched one other run for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday after the Democrat’s problem against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz final yr broke information for spending however didn’t ship his celebration the breakthrough it has sought for many years within the state.
This time, Allred is looking for the seat of Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who’s dealing with a main problem from Texas Legal professional Common Ken Paxton in what’s more likely to be one of the GOP’s most contentious contests in 2026.
Allred’s announcement comes simply seven months after he misplaced by practically 9 proportion factors to Cruz. That race was one of the crucial costly within the nation final cycle, with Democrats spending greater than $130 million making an attempt to unseat Cruz.
A former NFL linebacker and lawyer, Allred is the primary high-profile Democrat to declare himself a candidate within the race that Democrats see as their finest shot subsequent yr at ending a 30-year drought in statewide elections in Texas. One other former Democratic congressman, Beto O’Rourke, who got here inside 3 proportion factors of defeating Cruz in 2018, additionally hasn’t dominated out a run.
In a video asserting his candidacy, Allred took purpose at each Cornyn and Paxton and solid himself as a fighter for these struggling to get forward.
“I get it. Actual change would possibly really feel not possible,” Allred mentioned. “However I’m not giving up.”
Allred tried to place himself as a reasonable in final yr’s race and made defending abortion rights a centerpiece of his marketing campaign. His supporters included Texas girls who had critical being pregnant problems after the state’s abortion ban took impact.
However his marketing campaign drew criticism early on from some Democrats who grew stressed with Allred’s technique of not packing his schedule with raucous rallies or investing extra in smaller corners of Texas, together with cities alongside the border with Mexico.
Ultimately, Texas Democrats’ streak of losses in statewide races continued whereas Republicans kept making gains alongside the predominately Hispanic border with Mexico, which had lengthy been a Democratic stronghold.
Allred performed 4 seasons within the NFL, all with the Tennessee Titans, after being undrafted out of Baylor College. He entered Congress after flipping a Republican district in Dallas in 2018.
Former astronaut Terry Virts additionally entered the U.S. Senate race as a Democratic candidate.
Looming over the GOP main between Cornyn and Paxton is whether or not and when President Donald Trump will make an endorsement. In April, Trump praised each candidates and mentioned he would decide later.
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