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Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) speaks to the media at a campaign event that saw volunteers man phones on October 03, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
DALLAS - Colin Allred, a former U.S. Representative and ex-NFL linebacker, has announced he will run for U.S. Senate in 2026. Allred's run comes after he narrowly lost to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in the November 2024 election.
Allred, a Democrat, previously served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
What they're saying:
"Washington is broken and the system is rigged — and Texas families are paying the price. Today I'm announcing I'm running for the U.S. Senate because Texans deserve someone who will fight for them," Allred said in a post to X.
Who will Allred run against?
Allred is the first big-name Democrat to announce a run for the 2026 Senate race. Others believed to be considering a Democratic primary challenge include former Congressmen Beto O'Rourke and Joaquin Castro, as well as Texas Rep. James Talarico.
On the Republican side, the primary battle has already begun, with state Attorney General Ken Paxton and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, who is in his fourth term, headlining the race.
Allred's political background
Allred first announced a run for Congress in 2017. He won the Democratic primary in a runoff and went on to defeat incumbent Republican Pete Sessions in 2018. Sessions had represented the 32nd district since its creation in 2003.
Upon his arrival in Congress, Allred was elected as co-president of the Democratic freshman class. The Dallas Congressman consistently voted with President Joe Biden during his time in office but drew attention in January when he was one of three Texas Democrats who voted for a resolution denouncing "the Biden administration's open-borders policies."
Both progressive Senate candidate Roland Gutierrez and Sen. Ted Cruz criticized that vote. Gutierrez stated that Allred "sided with GOP extremists," while the Cruz campaign called the vote a "disingenuous attempt to posture on the border."
Allred's 2024 Senate campaign
Colin Allred concedes: FULL SPEECH
Colin Allred concedes: FULL SPEECH
Colin Allred spoke to his supporters Tuesday night in Dallas after Ted Cruz declared victory in the US Senate race for Texas. Watch his full concession speech.
Allred's 2024 campaign drew criticism from some Democrats who voiced frustration with his strategy, which did not include frequent, large rallies or significant investment in smaller Texas communities, particularly along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Cruz performed significantly better against Allred in 2024 than he did against O'Rourke six years prior, notably showing a much stronger performance in largely Hispanic counties along the border.
"It's going to take courage for whatever comes tomorrow and the day after. This country is worth fighting for. Understand that this state is worth fighting for. We are a great country. Nobody needs to make us great again. We are great because we are good, and we are good because that's who we are as a people," Allred said in his concession speech.
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz won re-election in November 2024 with 53% of the vote, while Allred received 45%.
Allred outperformed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who only earned 42% percent of the vote in the Lone Star State.
Who is Colin Allred?
Allred, 41, was raised in Dallas by his single mother. He attended Hillcrest High School before earning a full scholarship to Baylor University. In Waco, he played linebacker for the Bears football team and was named an All-Big 12 candidate in 2005.
He signed with the Tennessee Titans in 2006 as an undrafted free agent, playing for four seasons in the NFL. After retiring from professional football, Allred became a civil rights attorney. He worked in the General Counsel's office at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under Julian Castro during the Obama administration.
If elected, he would be Texas' first Black senator.
The Source: Information in this article comes from Colin Allred's X account and previous FOX 4 coverage.
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