Texas Democrat Colin Allred launches 2026 U.S. Senate campaign
Allred lost to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz last year by 8.5 points while outperforming the top of the ticket. Full Story
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![Then-U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, at a Kamala Harris campaign rally at the Shell Energy Stadium in Houston on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.]()
Credit: Joseph Bui for The Texas Tribune -
Top Texas Democrats ponder the state’s future at forum amid questions about what’s next for their party
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke was joined at his San Antonio town hall by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro and state Rep. James Talarico, whose names have been floated for statewide office. Full Story
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![Texas Rep. James Talarico answers a question during a town hall at Stable Hall in San Antonio, Texas on June 27, 2025.]()
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Here are some of the Texas Democrats eyeing statewide runs in 2026
Democrats will need to sort through a pileup of potential candidates who see an opportunity to harness backlash to the Trump administration in next year’s midterms. Full Story
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![Beto O’Rourke speaks at the Texas Democratic Convention Reception Kick-Off in El Paso, Texas on June 6, 2024.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune -
How Ted Cruz pulled off a decisive win and kept his White House hopes afloat
Cruz won over Latino voters and targeted Colin Allred’s support of transgender rights to win a third term. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a debate for the U.S. Senate with U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, hosted by WFAA on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Dallas, Texas.
Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune via POOL]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune via POOL -
Donald Trump and Ted Cruz scored big wins in Texas, but the president-elect outperformed the senator on his own turf
Cruz beat his challenger by 9 points, while Trump prevailed over his by 14 points. Still, Cruz performed better this year than he did in 2018 Full Story
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![From left: President-elect Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats underperformed yet again. Now what?
Tuesday was another electoral blowout in which Democrats underperformed expectations, weakening their case that Texas is a battleground state worthy of investment and attention from the national party. Full Story
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![The Ector County Democratic Headquarters on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Republicans reassert their dominance in Texas
Recent gains made by Democrats in past elections were wiped out, as Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and other Republicans won by wide margins. Full Story
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![Attendees celebrate poll results during a watch party for Ted Cruz on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in downtown Houston.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz defeats Democrat Colin Allred
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, a former NFL linebacker and civil rights lawyer from Dallas, repeatedly broke fundraising records in his campaign, raising more than $80 million by mid-October. Full Story
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![Ted Cruz celebrates on stage at his watch party on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in downtown Houston.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Abortion, the economy, immigration and transgender rights: Voters across Texas explain their vote
Texans from across the state went to the polls early with plenty on their mind. The Texas Tribune partnered with other news organizations to hear from a diverse cross-section of voters. Full Story
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![Political signs outside the polling site at the Lark Branch Library in McAllen on Oct. 22, 2024.]()
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In final days of Senate race, Cruz courts Latino voters along the border and Allred rallies in his hometown
Both candidates are making their closing arguments at the culmination of a heated and expensive race which could decide control of the U.S. Senate. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, left, and U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Rep. Colin Allred courts Black voters in the final days of his bid to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz
With stops in Houston and the Rio Grande Valley, Allred hopes to make the race competitive by running up the tally with the core of the Democratic base. Full Story
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![Colin Allred takes to the stage to a moderately packed house at the Sawyer Auditorium on the campus of TSU to encourage people to get out and vote and to campaign for Colin Allred who is looking to take the seat of Ted Cruz, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in Houston.]()
Credit: Douglas Sweet Jr. for The Texas Tribune -
In complaint, Ted Cruz says Democrats broke campaign finance laws to help Colin Allred
Cruz alleged that national Democrats illegally exceeded contribution limits when it spent more than $10 million for television ads in Texas benefiting Allred campaign. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during the Texas GOP Convention Saturday, May 25, 2024 in San Antonio.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
In final days of Senate race, Colin Allred bests Beto O’Rourke’s 2018 senate fundraising record
Colin Allred also continues to out raise Ted Cruz bringing in over $11.8 million in the first 16 days of October. Cruz raised $9.9 million in the same period. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, left, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, take part in a debate for the U.S. Senate hosted by WFAA on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Dallas, Texas.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune via POOL -
Beyoncé endorses Kamala Harris while Donald Trump vows border crackdown in dueling Texas stops
Harris talked about reproductive rights to a stadium full of supporters in Houston. In Austin, Trump stumped to supporters and reporters at a private jet terminal and appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Full Story
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![Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are both visiting Texas today. Trump will hold a press conference and appear on a podcast with Joe Rogan in Austin; Harris is attending a rally in Houston.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
How a career-ending injury as an NFL linebacker paved the way for Colin Allred’s underdog Senate bid
Allred was a high school football star who would later go on to play for the Tennessee Titans. From there he pivoted to law school where he pursued a career as a civil rights attorney. Full Story
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![Colin Allred, center, with safety Chris Hope (24), and fellow linebacker Gerald McRath (51) at a Tennessee Titans practice at Baptist Sports Park in Nashville on June 15, 2010.]()
Credit: George Walker IV-USA TODAY NETWORK via REUTERS -
Colin Allred, Ted Cruz blast each other as “extreme,” throw jabs on border and abortion in Senate debate
The debate proved combative from start to finish, with Cruz and Allred trading barbs on nearly every issue that came up. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, left, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, take part in a debate for the U.S. Senate hosted by WFAA on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Dallas, Texas.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune via POOL -
Colin Allred raises $30 million in third quarter of 2024, outpacing Ted Cruz
The staggering fundraising numbers mean that Cruz and Allred have collectively raised at least $132 million, surpassing the final combined haul from 2018. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, speaks during the first general session at the Texas Democratic Convention on June 7, 2024, in El Paso.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune -
Colin Allred narrows gap in Texas Senate race, but can he win?
The Democratic congressman is polling closer to Sen. Ted Cruz in his challenge this year, and independent race rankers are noticing. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger to lead group of Republicans for Colin Allred
The former congressman’s snub of fellow GOP member U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is the latest high-profile crossover for the Dallas Democrat. Full Story
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![Former Illinois Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger speaks during the final day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 23, 2024 in Chicago, IL.]()
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Bernie Sanders tells Texas progressives to back Harris, says Allred win would “make all the difference”
Joining Sanders as he campaigns up and down the I-35 corridor are Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Greg Casar, and former El Paso congressman Beto O’Rourke. Full Story
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![(From left to right) Politicians Beto O’Rourke, Lloyd Doggett, Greg Casar, Bernie Sanders, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a rally organized by the University Democrats on the University of Texas campus on Oct. 1, 2024.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune