NEW: Rising Democrat Star Quits Senate Race

Former Rep. Colin Allred is bowing out of Texas’ crowded U.S. Senate race, ending his second straight bid for the upper chamber as Democrats brace for an internal shakeup just hours before the filing deadline.

Allred, a Democrat who represented North Texas in the House, announced Monday he would drop out of the Senate contest amid growing speculation that Rep. Jasmine Crockett could jump into the race as soon as late Monday afternoon.

“l’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 [Attorney General Ken Paxton, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, or Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas],” Allred said in a statement.

“That’s why l’ve made the difficult decision to end my campaign for the U.S. Senate.”

Instead, Allred said he plans to run for Congress in Texas’ newly redrawn 33rd Congressional District, now based more heavily in Dallas County after shedding parts of neighboring Tarrant County. The seat is currently held by Rep. Marc Veasey under the prior map, though Veasey’s 2026 plans remain unclear.

Allred is expected to face an intraparty fight against Rep. Julie Johnson, a Democrat who is switching districts to seek the revamped 33rd.

“The 33rd district was racially gerrymandered by Trump in an effort to further rig our democracy but it’s also the community where I grew up attending public schools and watching my mom struggle to pay for our groceries,” Allred said.

A former standout linebacker at Baylor University who later played in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, Allred went on to become a civil rights attorney before flipping a Republican-held House seat in 2018. He won reelection in 2020 and 2022.

Jasmine Crockett (left) and Colin Allred (right)

Allred was Democrats’ Senate nominee in Texas in 2024, challenging GOP Sen. Ted Cruz in what became one of the most expensive races in the country. Cruz won by 8 points. Allred launched another Senate bid in July, but quickly faced competition.

State Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat with a rising national profile, entered the race in September, splintering the field further.

Now attention is turning to Crockett, a second-term House Democrat and progressive firebrand. The Dallas Morning News reported Sunday night that Crockett was preparing to launch a Senate bid after being boxed in by the GOP-led redraw of Texas’ congressional map. She is expected to announce her decision at 5:30 p.m. ET on Monday. Candidates must file by Monday evening.

Crockett has built a national following through sharp exchanges during House Oversight Committee hearings and aggressive social media attacks. She has compared President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler and accused Republicans of embracing fascism, remarks that have fueled both backlash and praise.

Her confrontational style has elevated her standing within Democratic circles, earning her a speaking slot at last year’s Democratic National Convention despite being only a first-term member at the time.

Earlier this year, Crockett sought the top Democratic post on the House Oversight Committee following the death of Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., but exited the race after failing to secure leadership support.

On the Republican side, the Texas Senate race is shaping up as a three-way brawl, with Sen. John Cornyn facing primary challenges from Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt.

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