Allred to run against Cruz for Texas Senate seat.

Colin Allred Challenges Ted Cruz for Senate Seat

Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) has officially announced his candidacy for Senate, challenging incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). Allred didn’t hold back in his criticism of Cruz, portraying him as an out-of-touch culture warrior who doesn’t care about improving the lives of everyday Texans.

In his announcement video, Allred called out Cruz for jetting off to Cancun during the 2021 energy crisis while Texans were freezing in the dark. He also accused Cruz of not being interested in helping to keep rural Texas hospitals open, saying that the struggles of regular Texans just don’t interest him.

A Rising Star in the House Democratic Caucus

Allred is widely seen as a rising star in the House Democratic Caucus, having flipped Texas’s 32nd Congressional District in the 2018 election cycle. He’s held on to his seat twice since then, despite hailing from a swing district full of conservative voters. Allred is a former NFL player, civil rights attorney, and special assistant in the Obama-era Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of General Counsel.

Given Cruz’s profile, any challenger to him is likely to draw significant national attention. Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke became a liberal darling after narrowly losing to Cruz by about 2.6 percentage points in the 2018 Senate race. He then ran unsuccessfully for president.

Defending Democratic Seats in 2024

Cruz has indicated that he is running for reelection to the upper chamber. Last quarter, he raised about $1.5 million, according to his campaign, while Allred hauled $2.2 million to his congressional account, per elections records. Democrats find themselves in a defensive position heading into the 2024 election cycle, having to defend 23 seats, including three held by Democratic-aligned independents. Republicans only have to defend 10.

• Allred is a rising star in the House Democratic Caucus
• He’s challenging Sen. Ted Cruz for Senate
• Cruz has been criticized for being an out-of-touch culture warrior
• Allred accused Cruz of not caring about improving the lives of everyday Texans
• Cruz has indicated that he is running for reelection
• Last quarter, Cruz raised about $1.5 million, while Allred raised $2.2 million
• Democrats are in a defensive position heading into the 2024 election cycle

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