North Texas Congressman Colin Allred reportedly to announce he'll run against Ted Cruz for Senate
RICHARDSON (CBSNewsTexas.com) – North Texas Congressman Colin Allred, D-Richardson, is reportedly set to announce he will run against two-term incumbent Republican Ted Cruz for U.S. Senate.
Both Politico and the Dallas Morning News are quoting various sources saying an announcement will happen as early as this week.
For his part, Allred appeared at UT Dallas in Richardson Monday morning.
He hosted a roundtable discussion with various universities and businesses about the benefits of the CHIPS and Sciences Act.
The bipartisan bill, passed last year, provides nearly $53 billion to expand semiconductor chip manufacturing facilities and research in the U.S.
Allred's event happened before both stories were published.
CBS News Texas asked Allred how much closer he is to making a decision about a potential run against Cruz.
He didn't answer, but did criticize Cruz's vote on the CHIPS and Sciences Act. "I'm here to talk about the CHIPS bill and how the important investments make in our community, how this is a national security priority for us as well. That's going to create jobs here. I'm really proud to have voted for this. I'm glad that Senator Cornyn was a leader for it in the Senate. I think Senator Cruz should have voted for it as well because if any state would benefit from it, it would be Texas."
Cruz said in February he hopes to win a third term. "My focus is on running for reelection for the Senate, and the Senate is the battleground right now."
On Monday afternoon, CBS News Texas reached out to Cruz's office seeking a response to Allred's comments, but didn't hear back.
Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, is also reportedly considering running against Cruz.
The San Antonio Express-News first reported this last month, and Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, was asked about it during a news conference at the Texas Capitol last week.
"I'm here for the next five weeks to do the work here for the next weeks. My wife will sit down, and I will decide those things down the road. What's most important to me is my community."
Allred, a former NFL player and civil rights attorney who served in the Obama administration, is now in his third term in Congress.
If he runs, he would have to give up his seat in the 32nd District to run for U.S. Senate.
Gutierrez isn't up for reelection until 2026, so if he were to run and lose, he could remain in office.
No Democrat has won a statewide office in Texas since the 1994 election.
Cruz narrowly beat Democrat Beto O'Rourke, an El Paso Congressman, in 2018.