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Colin Allred is projected to win the Democratic primary runoff for Texas' 33rd Congressional District. Allred, a former representative, defeated current Representative Julie Johnson, who replaced him in Congress when he ran for Senate in 2024. The Dallas-based district Allred aims to represent is heavily Democratic. Initially, Allred sought to challenge Republican John Cornyn for the U.S. Senate but later withdrew from the race. On Tuesday (May 26), Cornyn lost his primary to state Attorney General Ken Paxton, endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Allred, a civil rights lawyer and former NFL player, previously served in Congress from 2019 to 2025. He left his seat to run against Ted Cruz in the 2024 Senate race, which he lost. In July 2025, Allred launched another Senate bid but shifted to the House race after new candidates entered the Senate race. According to The Texas Tribune, Allred finished ahead of Johnson in the March 3 primary by about 11 points.
The primary contest between Allred and Johnson was marked by their differing stances on immigration and investments. Allred criticized Johnson's investments in Palantir, a company associated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Meanwhile, Johnson questioned Allred's congressional voting record on immigration. Allred, supported by an AI super PAC, focuses on AI regulation and export controls on computer chips.
Allred will face Republican Patrick Gillespie in the general election in November. The district is expected to remain Democratic, as noted by Ballotpedia. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.