Dallas’ Democratic U.S. Congressman Colin Allred is allegedly preparing to announce his intention to run against incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz in the 2024 U.S. Senate election, multiple news outlets have reported.
Allred is currently serving in Texas’ 32nd Congressional district, representing North and East Dallas as well as the immediate suburbs of Plano, Mesquite, Carrolton, and Garland.
Allred was first elected to Congress in 2018 after defeating multi-decade incumbent Pete Sessions, who has now moved to central Texas and represents College Station and Waco in Congress.
Allred defeated Dallas businesswoman Genevieve Collins in the 2020 general election, solidifying his spot in Congress and his potential as a young rising star in the Democratic Party of Texas.
Allred, a Dallas native, played college football for Baylor University before being signed as an undrafted free agent to the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. He played linebacker for the Titans from 2006 to 2010 and was one of two former NFL players elected to Congress in 2018.
After his time in the NFL, Allred graduated law school from the University of California Berkeley and later served in the Obama Administration’s Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Now, The Dallas Morning News has reported that Allred is considering a run against Ted Cruz in 2024, allegedly based on information from “four sources familiar with his decision.” Politico has also reported on Allred’s intentions to run for Senate, citing “two people familiar with his plans.”
The Dallas Express has been unable to independently verify this information.
Allred is one of the Democratic Party’s best fundraisers, hauling in $3.3 million during the 2021-2022 reporting cycle. He also serves on Democratic Minority Whip Katherine Clark’s team and served on Nancy Pelosi’s leadership team during her time as House Speaker.
This, combined with Beto O’ Rourke’s close loss to Ted Cruz in the 2018 Texas Senate election, gives Democratic activists hope that Allred will break the multi-decade election drought Democrats have faced in Texas at the statewide level.
Andrew Tuegel, a lawyer in Bridgeport, tweeted in support of Allred’s run while acknowledging the tough battle Democrats face in Texas:
“Take my money! I’m all in for this! Colin Allred has been fantastic in Congress and a Baylor Bear as well! I understand that a Dem is unlikely to win a statewide election in Texas. But ‘it don’t happen ’til [it] does!'”
According to OpenSecrets, lawyers and law firms were Allred’s second-largest financial backers in the 2022 midterms.
Republicans in Texas were immediately critical of Allred’s intentions and his time in Congress.
Mike Scwartz, a businessman in Dallas, tweeted that Allred is his Representative and that he has pursued a radical agenda.
“So [Colin Allred] my congressman in Dallas is running for Senate. This guy is so radical he makes Beto look like Donald Trump. He votes almost 100% with AOC and the Squad. There needs to be some SERIOUS grassroots efforts in Texas to stop this lunatic.”
Allred will have to win a Democratic Senate primary slated for March 5, 2024, before facing presumed Republican primary winner Senator Ted Cruz in the November 5, 2024, General Election.