Colin Allred Drops Out Of Texas Senate Race, Pivots To House Bid As Jasmine Crockett Prepares Entry

Former Dallas congressman abandons 2026 Senate campaign to avoid “bruising” Democratic primary, announces run for redrawn 33rd Congressional District hours before filing deadline—clearing path for progressive firebrand Jasmine Crockett’s expected Senate bid.

Colin Allred dropped out of the Texas Democratic Senate primary Monday morning, ending his five-month campaign and announcing he will instead run for Congress in the newly drawn 33rd Congressional District. The dramatic last-minute decision came hours before Texas’ 6 PM filing deadline and immediately before U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett was scheduled to announce her political future at 4:30 PM.

Allred’s withdrawal reshapes the Texas Democratic primary landscape, likely preventing a costly runoff election and positioning Crockett as the frontrunner against state Rep. James Talarico in the race to challenge Republican Sen. John Cornyn.

Why Did Colin Allred Drop Out?

Allred cited party unity and avoiding a protracted primary battle as his primary reasons for exiting the Senate race.

“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 in his statement.

The former NFL linebacker and three-term congressman told The Dallas Morning News he felt a prolonged primary “was not in the people’s interest or the interest of the folks who placed their trust in me.”

Key factors driving the decision:

Crockett’s imminent entry: Multiple sources confirmed Crockett was preparing to announce her Senate candidacy Monday afternoon, which would have created a three-way primary
Poor polling position: An October 2025 University of Houston poll showed Allred in last place at 13% in a hypothetical four-way primary featuring Crockett (31%), Talarico (25%), and Beto O’Rourke (25%)
Runoff concerns: Texas requires candidates to receive 50%+ to avoid a May runoff—a three-way race made this virtually certain
Resource preservation: Democrats wanted to avoid burning time and money on internal fights while Republicans battle through their own contested primary
2024 loss fallout: Allred’s 8.5-point defeat to Ted Cruz in November 2024, despite raising nearly $100 million, soured some Democrats on his statewide viability

Colin Allred Drops Out of Texas Senate Race, Pivots to House Bid as Jasmine Crockett Prepares Entry

What Triggered This Last-Minute Decision?

The announcement came on the final day candidates could file for Texas’ March 3, 2026 primary—and just hours before Crockett’s scheduled announcement event.

Timeline of events:

July 2025: Allred launches his Senate campaign after losing to Ted Cruz in 2024
September 2025: James Talarico enters the race, raising $6.2 million in his first month
November 28, 2025: Supreme Court allows Texas to use new Republican-drawn congressional maps
December 2, 2025: Crockett schedules “special announcement” for Monday, December 8
December 7, 2025: Crockett tells CNN she’s “closer to yes than no” on Senate run
December 8, 2025, 7:05 AM: Allred announces withdrawal and House bid
December 8, 2025, 4:30 PM: Crockett’s scheduled announcement (90 minutes before filing deadline)

The Supreme Court redistricting decision proved pivotal. The new maps eliminated Crockett’s current District 30, essentially forcing her hand. “If you want to take my seat of 766,000 away, I feel like there has to be some karma in that to where I take your seat that is for 30 million away,” Crockett told radio host Lurie Daniel Favors in November.

Who Is Jasmine Crockett?

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, 44, is a second-term Dallas congresswoman who has become one of the Democratic Party’s most recognizable national figures through viral confrontations with Republicans and fierce Trump criticism.

Background:

Civil rights attorney and former Texas state representative
Elected to Congress in 2022 after being hand-picked by trailblazer Eddie Bernice Johnson
Represents Texas’ 30th Congressional District (Dallas area)
Large social media following with over 1.2 million followers

National Profile:

Known for quick-witted clapbacks against Republicans, particularly Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
Frequent cable news appearances defending Democratic positions
Viral moments questioning Trump administration officials in committee hearings
Called a “virulent Trump and MAGA foe” by political observers
President Trump has called her a “low IQ person”—attacks she’s turned into political fuel

Political Strengths:

Polling shows strong support among Black and brown voters
October 2025 University of Houston poll: Crockett led Democratic primary field at 31%
Raised millions through national small-dollar donors
Compared by Beto O’Rourke to former Texas Gov. Ann Richards: “Jasmine Crockett has Ann Richards energy”
Internal polling shows she can expand the electorate and turn out unlikely voters

Senate Positioning: Crockett has publicly stated she believes she can do what no Texas Democrat has done in 30+ years—win statewide—by building a coalition of “Black and brown” voters and energizing the Democratic base with her combative, unapologetic style.

Sen. John Cornyn himself acknowledged Crockett’s potential, saying she was “crazy enough that she could win the Democratic primary.”

Colin Allred’s New Path: The 33rd Congressional District

Allred announced he will run for the newly redrawn 33rd Congressional District, which contains about one-third of his former constituents.

About the 33rd District:

Currently represented by U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth)
New boundaries removed Veasey’s Fort Worth hometown and political base
Amalgamation of three current Democratic seats in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro
Deep-blue district—Trump would have lost by 33 points under new lines
Allred described it as “the community where I grew up attending public schools”

The Congressional Primary Battle:

Allred will face U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, the first openly lesbian member of Congress from Texas and the first from any Southern state. Johnson succeeded Allred in the 32nd District when he left to run for Senate in 2024.

Both incumbents are now running in the same district after Republicans dismantled Johnson’s 32nd District in their mid-decade redistricting.

Political complications:

Johnson had already endorsed Talarico for Senate
Equality PAC warned Sunday that “the last thing a Democrat should do is try to unseat the first openly LGBTQ Member of Congress from Texas”
Sets up rare incumbent-vs-incumbent Democratic primary
Allred represented parts of this area for six years before leaving Congress

Veasey, who had endorsed Allred for Senate, filed to run in the 33rd District but is expected to pivot to the 30th District (Crockett’s current seat) if she runs for Senate.

What Does This Mean for the Texas Senate Race?

Allred’s withdrawal dramatically reshapes the Democratic primary, likely making it a two-person race between Crockett and Talarico.

Current Democratic field (as of December 8, 2025):

Jasmine Crockett (expected to announce Monday 4:30 PM)
James Talarico, 36, state representative from Austin
Terry Virts, former NASA astronaut (low-profile campaign)

Republican primary:

Sen. John Cornyn (incumbent, seeking reelection)
Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General
Wesley Hunt, U.S. Representative from Houston

Impact on race dynamics:

Avoids likely runoff: Without Allred, the March 3 primary could produce a winner without proceeding to May runoff
Resource advantage: Democratic nominee can start fundraising for general election while Republicans continue fighting
Clear frontrunner: Crockett enters as polling leader with national name recognition
Generational contrast: Crockett (44) and Talarico (36) both represent younger, more progressive wing of party
Stylistic differences: Crockett’s combative approach vs. Talarico’s faith-based populism

Who Is James Talarico?

State Rep. James Talarico emerged as Crockett’s main remaining competitor after Allred’s exit.

Background:

36-year-old state representative from Austin (elected 2018)
Former middle school teacher and education nonprofit leader
Recently earned Master of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Raised by single mother who escaped domestic violence
Type 1 diabetic who championed $25 insulin cap legislation

Political Profile:

Progressive Presbyterian who blends Christian faith with populist economics
Vocal critic of Christian nationalism, calling it “a cancer on our religion”
Viral social media presence—videos sparring with Republicans garnered millions of views
National spotlight from Joe Rogan podcast appearance (nearly 3-hour conversation)
Led Democratic quorum break opposing Republican redistricting (fled to Illinois)

Campaign Strength:

Raised $6.2 million in first month (September 2025)—record for Texas state legislator
Strong small-dollar fundraising operation
Named one of Top 10 Best Legislators by Texas Monthly
Soaring oratory style compared to progressive champions

Senate Platform:

Taking on billionaire mega-donors (specifically targeting Texas oil barons Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks)
Universal healthcare and prescription drug cost reduction
Public education funding and teacher pay increases
Criminal justice reform (authored Javier Ambler’s Law limiting reality TV police contracts)
Climate action and renewable energy transition

Talarico entered the race in September after a summer meeting where Democratic hopefuls tried to divide up statewide offices. The slate-building effort failed, with multiple Democrats eyeing the same Senate seat.

Race Implications and Political Analysis

Democratic Party unity vs. division:

Texas Democrats faced internal tensions about candidate recruitment. Over the summer, Allred, Talarico, Joaquin Castro, and Beto O’Rourke met to discuss dividing statewide offices, but the Senate race proved too attractive for slate-building to work.

Crockett revived slate-building discussions in recent weeks, attempting to recruit candidates for other statewide positions to avoid overcrowding the Senate primary.

Historical context:

Democrats haven’t won a statewide race in Texas since 1994. The party’s best recent performance came in 2018 when Beto O’Rourke lost to Ted Cruz by just 2.6 percentage points—the closest Senate race in Texas in 30 years.

Allred’s 2024 performance was less impressive. Despite raising nearly $100 million and outperforming Kamala Harris by 5 points, he still lost to Cruz by 8.5 points. Trump won Texas by 14 points in 2024.

Republican primary chaos:

The GOP side features its own brutal three-way battle between:

John Cornyn (incumbent, establishment figure)
Ken Paxton (controversial attorney general facing corruption allegations)
Wesley Hunt (rising conservative star)

This race is likely headed to a May runoff, potentially giving Democrats a time advantage if they settle their primary in March.

2026 midterm dynamics:

Democrats are banking on typical midterm backlash against the party in power. With Trump in the White House, they hope to replicate the energy from 2018—his first midterm—when O’Rourke came close and Democrats flipped suburban House seats including Allred’s.

However, Texas remains a right-leaning state where Republicans control every statewide office and both legislative chambers.

What Texas Voters Should Know

Key dates:

December 8, 2025, 6 PM: Filing deadline for March primary
March 3, 2026: Democratic and Republican primary elections
May 27, 2026: Runoff elections (if needed)
November 3, 2026: General election

What’s at stake:

The Texas Senate seat is crucial for control of the U.S. Senate. Democrats must flip four seats while defending Georgia’s Jon Ossoff to regain Senate control in 2026.

Flipping Texas would be a massive breakthrough for Democrats and fundamentally reshape American politics. The state’s growing urban areas, changing demographics, and increasing Latino population have made it more competitive, though Republicans still dominate.

Redistricting impact:

The Supreme Court’s December 5 decision allowing Texas to use new Republican-drawn maps triggered the political dominos:

Eliminated Crockett’s District 30
Forced Veasey out of his Fort Worth base
Created new 33rd District blending Democratic areas
Set up multiple incumbent-vs-incumbent House primaries

Democrats and voting rights advocates argued the maps were racially gerrymandered to dilute minority voting power. Republicans said they were simply adjusting for population shifts.

Expert Analysis and Reactions

Democratic strategists:

“Voters are looking for someone who’s unapologetic in defending our values and who is plain spoken and knows how to speak the language of the everyday person,” said Kardal Coleman, chairman of the Dallas County Democratic Party.

Republican perspective:

Republicans believe Crockett’s entry could energize their base, viewing her as a polarizing figure they can rally against. Cornyn has publicly acknowledged she could win the Democratic primary.

Political scientists:

“Democrats aren’t fully sold yet on Colin Allred this time around, so the race is still pretty wide open,” said University of Houston political science professor.

Mark Jones of Rice University’s Baker Institute noted the long odds: Democrats haven’t won statewide in Texas in over 30 years, and the winner must first survive a competitive primary, then hope for economic troubles and low Trump approval ratings to have any shot in November.

What Happens Next

Immediate timeline:

4:30 PM Monday: Crockett’s announcement event in Dallas
6:00 PM Monday: Filing deadline—Crockett must submit paperwork
December-February 2026: Primary campaign season begins
March 3, 2026: Primary election day

Key questions:

Will Beto O’Rourke or Joaquin Castro jump into the race at the last minute?
Can Crockett and Talarico avoid a runoff by clearing 50%?
Will Crockett’s combative style play in conservative areas of Texas?
Can Talarico expand beyond his Central Texas base?
Will the Republican primary go to a runoff, giving Democrats extra time?

What to watch:

Fundraising reports in early 2026
Polling between Crockett and Talarico
Republican attack ad themes
Voter registration and turnout efforts
Whether national Democrats invest heavily in the race

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did Colin Allred drop out of the Senate race?

Allred withdrew to avoid a “bruising” Democratic primary runoff that he believed would weaken the party heading into the general election. Polling showed him in last place, and Jasmine Crockett’s expected entry made a runoff virtually certain. He chose party unity over continuing a campaign he was unlikely to win.

Q: Who is favored to win the Democratic primary now?

Jasmine Crockett enters as the frontrunner based on October 2025 polling showing her at 31% compared to Talarico’s 25%. However, Talarico’s strong fundraising ($6.2 million in his first month) and grassroots energy make this a competitive two-person race.

Q: What district is Colin Allred running for now?

Allred is running for Texas’ 33rd Congressional District, a newly redrawn deep-blue district in Dallas County. He will face incumbent Rep. Julie Johnson, who succeeded him when he left Congress in 2024. The district contains about one-third of Allred’s former constituents.

Q: Can a Democrat actually win the Texas Senate seat?

Democrats face long odds—they haven’t won statewide in Texas since 1994. However, Beto O’Rourke came within 2.6 points of defeating Ted Cruz in 2018, showing it’s possible in the right political environment. Democrats hope 2026 midterm dynamics and strong turnout can make the difference.

Q: When is the Texas Senate primary election?

The Democratic and Republican primaries are scheduled for March 3, 2026. If no candidate receives 50%+ of votes, the top two candidates advance to a May 27, 2026 runoff. The general election is November 3, 2026.

Q: Who are the Republican candidates for Senate?

Three Republicans are running: incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt. This race is expected to be highly contested and likely headed to a runoff.

Q: What happened with Texas redistricting?

The Republican-controlled Texas Legislature redrew congressional maps in mid-2025, eliminating some Democratic districts and reshuffling boundaries. The Supreme Court allowed the new maps on December 5, triggering political chaos as incumbents scrambled to find districts to run in before the December 8 filing deadline.

Q: Will there be other Democrats running for Senate?

As of December 8, the main Democratic candidates are Jasmine Crockett (expected), James Talarico, and Terry Virts. Beto O’Rourke and Joaquin Castro have been mentioned as potential candidates but have not entered the race.

Q: What is Jasmine Crockett known for?

Crockett is known for her viral confrontations with Republicans in congressional hearings, particularly with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. She’s a frequent cable news presence, fierce Trump critic, civil rights attorney, and has built a large social media following. Her combative, unapologetic style has made her a progressive favorite.

Q: What is James Talarico’s background?

Talarico is a 36-year-old Texas state representative, former middle school teacher, and Presbyterian seminarian. He’s known for blending Christian faith with progressive politics, criticizing Christian nationalism, and going viral for confronting Republicans. He appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast and led the Democratic quorum break opposing redistricting.

This article was last updated December 8, 2025 at 12:00 PM CT. For the latest updates on the Texas Senate race, visit texastribune.org and follow Jasmine Crockett’s announcement at 4:30 PM CT.

About the Author

Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
Her writing blends real legal insight with plain-English explanations, helping readers stay informed and legally aware.
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Colin Allred Drops Out of Texas Senate Race, Pivots to House Bid as Jasmine Crockett Prepares Entry