Colin Allred will run for Texas Senate seat

[BumRushDaShow]

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/

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I supported him with $$$ against Cruz and would do so again against Cornyn (or Paxton if Paxton prevails).

[Vogon_Glory]

1. Alread could probably beat Paxton

Whether Texas Democrats have a fighting chance of taking Cornyn’s seat depends on who wins the 2026 Republican primaries. Paxton iisn’t that popular—except that the extreme right tends to prevail in Republican primaries. If Paxton beats Cornyn, it may just be possible for a Democrat to become a US Senator again.

I suspect that after over a year or so of Orange Julius’ reign, Texas Republicans are going to find themselves far less popular than they are right now. Orange Julius’ policies are going to hurt rural Texans: white, brown, and black, and the racism endemic in MAGA circles is finally going to make an impression on the non-voting Texas Latino population.

Texas is no longer majority-white. Currently, Texas Latinos outnumber Euro-American Texans. . I doubt that it could be made majority -white again even by deporting new-citizen Latinos and their children, and I suspect that they’ll be angry. Those who remain eligible to vote might even be angry enough to vote, especially if there’s a recession. It’ll be an interesting race.

[Escaped Floridian]

2. No relation to Gloria, I Hope

[Vogon_Glory]

3. No relation. Colin is Afro-American and his surname

only has one “L.”

[Javaman]

4. if we have midterms, he's already got my vote. nt

[hamsterjill]

5. If Joaquin runs, I will support him

Just my two cents.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Why not Julian

since Joaquin is still in the U.S. House? Julián isn't currently holding any office.

[hamsterjill]

7. Because Joaquin has been my Congressman for many years and I think he's brilliant.

In my opinion, he outshines his brother. Joaquin is more eloquent than Julián, and quicker on his feet. Joaquin is very active in actually doing things to help his constituents when they call his office and ask for help. Something a lot of politicians don't do.

Joaquin is obviously going to try to further his political ambitions at some point, and Allred already lost.

The following is not MY attitude, but I'm a sixth generation Texan and I can guarantee you that it IS an attitude of a lot of Texans, even Independents. Allred's wife is White, and the idiots can't get past mixed marriages. Sorry, if that's a little too much reality this early in the morning, but it is. Again - I don't support that way of thinking. It's wrong and offensive, but to deny that it is exists is just putting your head in the sand. One day, hopefully, we will all - even in Texas - move past this, but it hasn't happened yet.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Oh I know there is a big issue down there

(I have a BIL living there whose 2nd or 3rd wife is white).

I only mentioned because I am not sure if you have someone lined up to replace him if he decides to go for it. I expect he would also do better than Beto given the demographics in the state and it seems that outside the large urban metroplexes, there are a lot of "insular" Texans who just tune out.... Plus there are also a lot of transplants there due to the earlier tech boom and later biotech boom (and now obviously Muskrat ).

[hamsterjill]

9. I think it's a possibility that they will run Ron Nirenberg in Joaquin's place

I have no idea if this is even a true possibility, but Nirenberg was extremely well liked as the Mayor of San Antonio and he just termed out and was replaced by Gina Ortiz Jones - the first LGBTQ mayor of the city.

Nirenberg was giving a speech yesterday and indicated that he's going to seek some political office. He didn't give any specifics. Some were speculating that Nirenberg meant he would be seeking a County office, but I have a gut sense that he's thinking something bigger.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. That's good!

Always helps to have someone local and known (in elective office) from the area and not have to deal with someone "helicoptering in" as they say!

[Polybius]

12. "Allred's wife is White"

So is/was his mother, making him half-white as well.

[hamsterjill]

13. Duly noted. But it's still an issue

Please read my post fully and yet again, I state it is NOT my thinking. It's wrong and it's despicable.

Obama's mother was White as well, and you wouldn't believe the stupid comments that I heard. Democrats do not have the luxury of failing to understand these regional prejudices. In no way should we accept them, but to deny that they still exist is foolish.

Allred is well qualified and I voted for him last time. But if it's a choice between him and Joaquin in a primary, I will choose Joaquin because I have personal experience with Joaquin, and I believe he is a better candidate. My decision would have nothing to do with Allred's heritage. If Allred is the ultimate candidate, he will have my vote again.

[CapnSteve]

11. Colin, Beto, Joaquin... our bench is deep!

Look, I am a yellow dog democrat, living in a blue suburban county in Texas. If you take the 35 most populous counties in Texas, representing 80% of the total population of Texas, Biden won the 2020 election here by three percentage points. You have to add 40 more counties, again sorted by population and adding 10% to the population tally, to show the convict sqeaking by.

Combine Trump's illegal deportations, denying due process, leading to no workers to harvest Texas crops with the Texas GOP's $1,000,000,000 giveaway to wealthy (mostly urban white) families, and rural Texans are primed to finally give the GOP up and down the ticket the heave ho.

Texas is a blue state, held captive by Karl Rove initiated gerrymandering and dirty electoral tricks. However, the tide has turned. The midterms will show the Democratic majority in Texas throwing off their chains and flipping the state blue. And when Texas flips, with our 40 electoral votes, it is game over for any Republican presidental candidate.

The audacity of hope from Mo City!

[LauraInLA]

14. This is why Trump is pushing them to redistrict, isn't it?

[CapnSteve]

15. Sustained gerrymandering has been the GOP playbook here for decades...

This leglislative session they (Texas GOP) tried to put more limits on early voting in blue counties, specifically Harris Co (Houston).

It is a constant struggle, but a worthwhile one...