Colin Allred will run for Texas Senate seat

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Former Texas Democratic Rep. Colin Allred formally launched his 2026 U.S. Senate run Tuesday morning, entering what is shaping up to beryllium 1 of the astir intimately watched races of the cycle.

A erstwhile NFL linebacker, Allred represented the Dallas country successful the House for 3 presumption earlier mounting an unsuccessful situation to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz successful 2024.

So far, overmuch of the aboriginal attraction successful the Texas contention has centered connected the progressively bitter Republican primary, wherever Attorney General Ken Paxton — a staunch state of President Trump — is challenging longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn.

The 2026 contention is emerging arsenic a cardinal people for nationalist Democrats hoping to grow their Senate representation nether the caller Trump administration. 

Democrats person agelong seen Texas arsenic tantalizing but elusive governmental ground. Cruz's 2018 and 2024 re-election campaigns ranked among the astir costly Senate contests successful the country, with each contention drafting much than $100 cardinal successful contributions. Cruz yet edged retired erstwhile Rep. Beto O'Rourke by 2.6 points successful 2018 and defeated Allred by 8.5 points successful 2024.

Cornyn, by contrast, has enjoyed much comfy margins. He defeated Democrat MJ Hegar by 9.6 points successful 2020 and won re-election successful 2014 by a commanding 27.2-point dispersed implicit Democrat David Alameel.

Still, immoderate Texas Democrats spot signs of momentum and judge the governmental situation successful 2026 could yet interruption their mode — particularly if Paxton, who is starring successful aboriginal superior polls, manages to unseat Cornyn. Cornyn has tried to capitalize on the risk, informing that a Paxton information "would beryllium catastrophic."

Paxton was impeached by the Texas House successful 2023 connected bribery allegations but was acquitted by the authorities Senate. He was besides antecedently nether national probe for corruption, though the Justice Department declined to prosecute charges adjacent the extremity of the Biden administration.

In his run motorboat video, Allred took purpose astatine some of his imaginable Republican opponents.

"I'm announcing my candidacy for the United States Senate to little costs and halt corrupt politicians similar John Cornyn and Ken Paxton from rigging the system against hard-working Texans," helium says.

The Democratic tract could go crowded. O'Rourke and Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio — an outspoken professional of the Trump administration's migration policies — are both  considering bids. Retired astronaut Terry Virts officially entered the contention past week, and different imaginable contenders see progressive authorities Rep. James Talarico, a rising prima connected societal media with astir 900,000 TikTok followers.

Still, the roadworthy for Democrats remains challenging. The enactment hasn't won a statewide contention successful Texas since 1994, hasn't elected anyone to the U.S. Senate from Texas since 1988 and past carried the authorities successful a statesmanlike predetermination successful 1976.

Democratic hopes person mostly rested connected the continued erosion of GOP margins successful the suburbs astir Dallas and Houston. While that suburban inclination has persisted since 2018, Republicans person made gains elsewhere — peculiarly successful the historically Democratic-leaning Rio Grande Valley, wherever Hispanic voters person shifted rightward successful caller cycles.

Democrats are aiming to retake power of Congress successful 2026, and portion the House appears wrong reach, the Senate representation is simply a pugnacious climb. The enactment is defending cardinal seats successful plaything states similar Georgia and Michigan and volition request to grow the representation successful reddish oregon purple territory to person a changeable astatine the majority.

Beyond Texas, Democrats are besides eyeing a imaginable opening successful Maine, wherever Republican Sen. Susan Collins has not confirmed her re-election plans. And successful North Carolina, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis' stunning determination not to question different term volition apt marque the contention adjacent much competitory successful the Tar Heel State, a persistent battleground.

Caroline Linton and Joe Walsh contributed to this report.