Democrat Colin Allred drops out of Senate race, announces run for 33rd Congressional District

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Texas Tribune

Dec. 8, 2025, 7:05 a.m. Central


Colin Allred is dropping out of the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and pivoting to run instead for the Dallas-based 33rd Congressional District. Allred, a former Dallas congressman, was the party’s nominee for Senate in 2024, losing to Sen. Ted Cruz. In July, he launched a 2026 bid for Texas’ other Senate seat, but his path to the nomination was complicated by the September entry of state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, and an expected run from U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a fellow Dallasite who is hosting an announcement event later Monday.

Allred’s swerve came on the last day for candidates to file for Texas’ 2026 primaries. In a statement, he said he was deciding to exit the Senate race because he wanted the party to avoid a runoff — a likely outcome if Crockett decided to run — and maximize its chances of winning in November. The nominee will face the winner of a three-way GOP primary between U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston.

“In the past few days, I’ve come to believe that a bruising Senate Democratic primary and runoff would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers Paxton, Cornyn, or Hunt,” Allred said. “That’s why I’ve made the difficult decision to end my campaign for the U.S. Senate.”

Instead, Allred said he will run for Congress in Texas’ newly drawn 33rd Congressional District, one of two winnable seats left for Democrats in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area after the U.S. Supreme Court last week allowed the state to use a new GOP-friendly map crafted earlier this year.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/12/08/colin-allred-drops-out-senate-democratic-primary-congress-33rd-district-dallas/

[Deep State Witch]

1. Clearing the Way For Talarico Or Crockett

Good for him. We need him in Congress. This way, he can clear the path for Talarico or Jasmine Crockett.

[SSJVegeta]

3. Very good for him! Wish Crockett would run for governor now...

Divide and conquer so we dont waste so much money fighting each other.

[blogslug]

6. Me too

I kind of want her to run for AG. Can you imagine the big old wrench she would lodge in works as state AG?

[SSJVegeta]

7. OMG YESSSSSS

There needs to be an influence campaign for that. I changed my mind. Jasmine Crockett for AG!!

[Historic NY]

2. easier to attract voters when the pool is smaller...get a foot hold.

[Vogon_Glory]

4. Sigh...I was hoping Allred would stay in

I was hoping that Allred would stay in and be the Texas Democratic candidate facing Paxton, but I understand his reasons.

I find both Talarico and Crockett to be inspiring candidates and I think Crockett would make a wonderful US Senator. Still, I am concerned: would Texas voters go for a female Afro-American candidate?

[SSJVegeta]

8. The key thing for me is money

All these candidates are big names and capable of generating millions (if not billions of dollars). Wasting it against each other is very counterproductive.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. I had sent a bunch of $$$ to his campaign

when he ran the first time against Carnival Cruz but hope he gets that newly-drawn seat.

If Crockett goes (liberal) "populist", she might be able to cajole what are probably millions of non-voters, to the polls.

For some interesting reason - and I use Ann Richards as an example - Texans seem to like firebrands when it comes to their candidates.

[Polybius]

12. Perhaps they would

But the better question is will Texas voters vote for a progressive firebrand?

[JoseBalow]

5. Colin is a good guy, I wish him all the best

I hope we see a lot more of him, for a long time to come.

[Vogon_Glory]

11. So do I, despite my disappointment

I do hope that the general electorate of Texas awakes from its decades-long torpor and tosses out the current crop of Texas Republicans.

[hamsterjill]

9. Allred did the right thing.

It surprised me, but I'll give him credit where credit is due. He would not have won the Senate seat in Texas, and we all know he's qualified and know the reasons why he wouldn't win. Lifelong Texan here. He has a better shot at his Congressional District. I wish him all the very best and hope he will do well.

I don't want to see Crockett and Talarico pitted against one another. I think that's a mistake. Talarico has a better chance of doing anything - and again, we all know the reasons why that's the truth. I love Crockett, but I fear she rubs most Texans the wrong way unfortunately.