Less than a year after losing his bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, Democrat Colin Allred is launching another campaign—this time setting his sights on Texas’ other Senate seat.
Allred, who represented Texas’ 32nd Congressional District, announced he will run in 2026 for the seat currently held by Sen. John Cornyn.
Cornyn, a longtime Republican incumbent, is facing a challenge from within his own party as Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced he will also seek the seat.
The announcement comes after Allred lost his 2024 Senate bid to Cruz by a margin of 53 to 45 percent. During that campaign, Allred faced criticism over his liberal voting record, including opposition to legislation protecting women’s sports and votes supporting transgender participation in female-only spaces.
He also came under fire for voting to send money to Ukraine while missing key votes on border security.
Despite the defeat, Allred is doubling down.
“I know Washington is broken. The system is rigged. But it doesn’t have to be this way,” said Allred in an announcement video.
The 2026 race is already shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests in the country, with the Republican primary alone promising fireworks as Paxton takes on Cornyn from the right.
Cornyn, first elected to the Senate in 2002, has faced increasing criticism from grassroots conservatives over his stances on gun control and immigration, as well as his perceived alignment with the D.C. establishment. Paxton, meanwhile, enters the race with strong support from the party’s Trump-aligned base.
Meanwhile, perennial candidate Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke has not ruled out a run for the seat, with recent statewide town halls and rallies fueling speculation that he may enter the race as well.
