Former Representative Colin Allred (D-Texas) is likely to continue his congressional career after winning a hard-fought Democratic primary on Tuesday.
As reported by the Associated Press, Allred triumphed over Representative Julie Johnson (D-Texas) in a runoff for the newly reconfigured House seat. It’s almost a given that the winner of the Azure District will come out on top in the general election this November. Republicans had pushed through a new congressional map last year, aiming to flip as many as five seats while modifying the Dallas area seat to lean even more Democratic.
This primary wasn’t exactly smooth sailing, as both candidates struggled to maintain a foothold in those Texas House seats where Democrats still hold an edge.
Johnson entered the contest following the decision of incumbent Democratic Representative Mark Vesey to step aside. Interestingly, he was more or less nudged out of the race by Republicans.
Johnson, a newcomer in Congress, took Allred’s place after he left his position in a failed attempt to dethrone Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) back in 2024. Allred chose to challenge Johnson for the open House seat at the end of 2025 after he canceled his Senate campaign for 2026, citing insufficient support.
As a former NFL linebacker, Allred endorsed Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) in the final stretch of the Senate primary, alleging that Crockett’s opponent, state Rep. James Talarico, made racially charged comments during a private call with party members. Talarico strongly denied these allegations, insisting that his remarks about Allred were misrepresented and merely referred to Allred’s campaign approach.
Crockett endorsed Allred in April, actively campaigning alongside him. Meanwhile, Talarico backed Johnson’s efforts. Johnson garnered support from House Democratic leadership and groups like the Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Emily’s List, among others.
Allred likely had an advantage thanks to his prior statewide campaign experience and significant fundraising capabilities.
In the earlier March primary, Allred led Johnson by 11 points, emerging as the top vot-getter. Still, he failed to cross the 50% mark, resulting in the need for a runoff.
