In a sudden and unexpected turn of events, Democrat Colin Allred announced on Monday morning that he would be withdrawing from the U.S. Senate race in Texas. A move that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, many speculate this decision was influenced by Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s impending entry into the Democratic primary for the same race. Rather than contesting the Senate seat, Allred revealed that he would instead be filing paperwork to run for a newly drawn Congressional seat in Dallas County, a decision that will see him go head-to-head with Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson in a primary challenge.
In a public statement, Allred shared his thoughts behind this sudden shift in his political trajectory. “Over the past few days, I’ve begun to realize that a controversial Senate Democratic primary and runoff could potentially polarize the Democratic Party, preventing us from entering this crucial election unified in our stand against the threats posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and his Republican supporters like Paxton, Cornyn, or Hunt. This realization led me to the difficult decision to withdraw my campaign for the U.S. Senate,” he explained.
However, Allred was quick to clarify that his departure from the Senate race did not signify a withdrawal from public service. “I am far from finished serving my community and our state. Today, I am announcing my campaign for Congress to represent the newly drawn Congressional District 33. This district was racially gerrymandered by Trump in an attempt to manipulate our democracy, but it is also the community where I grew up attending public schools and watching my mother struggle to pay for our groceries. Veterans in this district can access the Garland VA hospital, a facility I helped to establish during my time in Congress. Additionally, I have secured over $135 million in federal resources for affordable housing, public transportation, and healthcare for this district. This is the community where I was born and raised, and where my wife Aly and I are currently raising our two sons. It is my home,” he announced.
The abruptness of Allred’s decision all but confirms the likelihood of Crockett running for the U.S. Senate, an idea she has grown increasingly favorable towards in recent months. Crockett is set to hold a press conference in Dallas at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, a mere 90 minutes before the state’s deadline for candidates to submit their paperwork for the forthcoming March 3rd primary. Last month, she told CBS News Texas that she would only consider running for Senate if data and polling indicated she had a realistic chance of winning a general election, not just the primary. With Allred bowing out of the Senate race, Crockett will now be facing state Rep. James Talarico of Austin, who has already filed his candidacy. Talarico made headlines when he raised a record $6.2 million within the first three weeks following his announcement, generating national attention in the process.
Allred initially entered the Senate race in July. Even though there are other Democratic candidates in the Senate race, the likelihood of a runoff is significantly reduced with Allred’s departure from the race. The victor of the Democratic primary for Senate will go up against the winner of the Republican primary, where incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is currently warding off a challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton and Houston Rep. Wesley Hunt. Many political analysts predict Paxton could emerge victorious in the GOP primary. Consequently, various high-profile Democrats have contemplated running for the U.S. Senate as they believe they have a chance to win a statewide race for the first time in over 30 years, given Paxton’s political baggage.
Allred’s announcement comes amidst the ongoing battle between Democrats and Republicans over the mid-decade redistricting of congressional districts in Texas, which has caused considerable upheaval in several races. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the 2025 Congressional maps that Republicans redrew over the summer, a move aimed at giving the GOP up to five new House seats in Texas at the expense of Democrats.
Allred, who ran against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz last year and lost by around nine percentage points, is now striving to return to Congress. He served three terms as the representative for the 32nd Congressional District in Dallas but did not file for re-election last year to run for Cruz’s Senate seat. Johnson succeeded Allred in office.
With the 32nd Congressional District set to become a Republican majority seat, Johnson decided to run in the 33rd District, which will remain a Democratic majority seat and is now confined to Dallas County.
Once Crockett submits her paperwork for the U.S. Senate race, she will vacate her seat in Congress representing the 30th District in Dallas. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the 2025 congressional maps, CBS News Texas previously reported that Democratic Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth is expected to run in the 30th Congressional District, which is primarily in Dallas County, and a portion of eastern Tarrant County. He may be joined by Dr. Frederick Haynes III, the senior pastor at Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas. A spokeswoman told CBS News Texas that he was seriously contemplating entering the race and confirmed that there was an effort underway to draft him to run.
The newly drawn 32nd Congressional District transitions from a Democratic majority to a Republican majority. Republican candidates include Ryan Binkley, Darrell Day, Aimee Carrasco, Monty Montanez, and Paul Bondar.
Longtime California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa briefly considered running in this North Texas district but changed his mind after meeting with President Trump. He will run for re-election in his San Diego-area district, which was redrawn by Democrats in California as a result of and to neutralize Texas’ redistricting. Texas state Rep.Katrina Pierson, R-Rockwall, also considered running for this seat, but has announced she is running for re-election in her Texas House district.
