Colin Allred drops out of U.S. Senate race; shifts to congressional campaign

AUSTIN, Texas - Colin Allred has announced he is ending his U.S. Senate campaign. 

Allred says he will now run to represent the newly redrawn Texas 33rd congressional district.

What they're saying:

In his announcement, Allred said that he believed "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 stated that as the reason he made the decision to end his campaign for Senate but he said hs is shifting to now run and represent Texas Congressional District 33.

Full announcement from Allred

"I was born and raised by a single mom in Dallas, grew up visiting my grandmother in Brownsville, was a student-athlete at Baylor in Waco, and trained for the NFL Draft in Houston. Every corner of this great state has shaped who I am.

"Throughout this campaign, nothing has moved me more than the personal stories and trust that so many Texans have placed in me. In restaurants and construction sites, grocery stores and high school football games, Texans have told me their stories — often through tears — and shared their hopes, dreams, and struggles. I am forever grateful for that trust, and I believe it comes with a heavy responsibility.

"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. That’s why I’ve made the difficult decision to end my campaign for the U.S. Senate.

"But I’m nowhere near done serving my community and our state. Today, I’m announcing my campaign for Congress to represent the newly drawn Congressional District 33. 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. Veterans in this district have access to the Garland VA hospital that I made a reality when I served in Congress. I have also secured over $135 million in federal resources for affordable housing, public transportation and health care for this district. It’s the community where I was raised, and where Aly and I are now raising our two boys. It is my home.

"On January 6th I was prepared to physically fight to defend our democracy. Today, the danger we face from Donald Trump is even greater and has added a level of corruption and rigging of our economy that has made it harder than ever for Texans. But I’ve never been more confident that together, we can meet this moment. I’m humbly asking to return to Congress — to keep fighting so that kids who are growing up all across the 33rd district can get the same chances as I did."

The backstory:

Allred is a former NFL linebacker and was a U.S. representative from 2019 to 2025 for Texas Congressional District 32. 

In 2024, Allred was the Democratic nominee against Sen. Ted Cruz for Cruz's seat but lost.

While Allred exits the 2026 race, there is still expected to be a battle for the Democratic nomination.

Texas State Rep. James Talarico announced his bid in September and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett is believed to announce she will be entering the race soon.

As Allred mentioned in his announcement, the Republican primary's major candidates include Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt.

Cornyn is running for a fifth term.

What's next:

Today (December 8) is the deadline to file to run in the 2026 primary elections.

Texas's primary will be held on March 3, 2026 with a runoff held May 26, 2026 if no candidate reaches 50% in the first round.

The 2026 general election will be held on November 3, 2026.