Colin Allred claims victory in Texas Democratic primary for US Senate; will now take on Ted Cruz

North Texas Congressman Colin Allred has claimed victory the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, and will now take on Republican incumbent Ted Cruz in the November election.

Allred beat out eight other candidates, which included San Antonio State Senator Roland Gutierrez and DeSoto State Representative Carl Sherman.

He won with around 60% of the vote, which was enough for him to avoid a runoff.

Allred, an attorney and former NFL linebacker, has represented District 32 in parts of Dallas and its northeastern suburbs in the U.S. House since 2019.

The district was a Republican stronghold until he flipped it in 2018. He hopes he can now flip a statewide red seat.

Allred said he is focused on unseating Cruz.

"I think we know as Texans we can’t afford to have another term of Ted Cruz representing us in the Senate. That’s what it is about. It’s not about the presidential race or past races in the Senate, it’s about me vs. Ted Cruz. We know we can’t count on him, he went on vacation during the freeze and he’s one of the people who tried to lead the insurrection on January 6th, so I think that’s not the Texas that I know," Allred said during an interview with FOX 4 News after he announce his run for Senate last year.

The Hobby School of Public Affairs poll shows Allred trails Sen. Cruz in a November matchup.

No Democrat has won a statewide election in Texas since 1994.

Sen. Cruz won his last race against Beto O’Rourke by less than three percentage points. It was the closest Senate race in Texas in 40 years.