DALLAS 性视界传媒 On a night when he urged a group of erstwhile Republicans to stay in the fight, former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred said he性视界传媒檚 性视界传媒渟eriously considering性视界传媒 a 2026 Senate campaign against incumbent John Cornyn, or the winner of what性视界传媒檚 expected to be a bruising GOP primary.
Allred appeared at an event sponsored by Principles First, a group of conservatives opposed to President Donald Trump. It was his first public appearance since his loss to Republican Ted Cruz.
In an interview with The Dallas Morning News before the event, Allred lamented his loss to Cruz, briefly discussed his political future and delighted in the time he性视界传媒檚 spending with his young family. It was his first public interview since his Senate defeat.
The Dallas Democrat said he would make a decision on another Senate run this summer.
性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 looking at it and seriously considering it,性视界传媒 Allred said. 性视界传媒淭his is a time for everybody to realize just what性视界传媒檚 at stake and how important it is that we all stay involved.性视界传媒
Cornyn released a video Wednesday launching his Senate campaign in what性视界传媒檚 expected to be an explosive Republican primary. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is in the exploratory stage of a potential Senate campaign against Cornyn. Other Republicans, including U.S. Reps. Beth Van Duyne of Irving and Wesley Hunt of Houston, have been mentioned as potential GOP Senate candidates.
Texas Republican Party Chairman Abraham George, who lives in Plano, said the 2026 Republican Senate nominee would beat Allred or any other Democrat.
性视界传媒淚 don性视界传媒檛 think we have anything to worry about,性视界传媒 George said. 性视界传媒淚 mean Allred had a really bad loss to Ted Cruz.性视界传媒
Allred didn性视界传媒檛 offer more details about his deliberations to the Morning News or during his comments at the Principles First forum.
After retreating from public view in November, Allred has had a series of coffees with donors and activists who supported his Senate campaign. His name has been mentioned as a possible 2027 Dallas mayoral candidate. Allred shrugged off 性视界传媒 but didn性视界传媒檛 rule out 性视界传媒 that prospect.
性视界传媒淩ight now I性视界传媒檓 just hanging with my family,性视界传媒 Allred said.
Staying in the fight
While Allred said his life was largely consumed by playing the video game Minecraft with his two young sons, he called on Democrats, Republicans and independents to resist Trump性视界传媒檚 policies and offer alternative plans.
A three-term congressman, Allred ran for Senate touting bipartisanship. His supporters included former U.S. Republican Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.
Allred said he agreed to speak to Principles First because of its mission to get Americans to focus on issues and principles. Established in 2019 as a landing spot for disaffected Republicans, the organization serves as an alternative to the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC.
The hometown crowd warmly received Allred as he sat for a discussion centered largely foreign policy with Heath Mayo, the group性视界传媒檚 founder.
性视界传媒淭his is my first time doing anything since the campaign, like in front of people, and I didn性视界传媒檛 want to do it with some partisan group,性视界传媒 Allred said. 性视界传媒淚 wanted to do something like this.性视界传媒
Allred asked the crowd at the Arts District Mansion not to give up on politics.
性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 encouraging people to get out of your defensive crouch, get off the doomscrolling and do something in your community,性视界传媒 Allred said. 性视界传媒淚 guarantee you性视界传媒檒l feel better.性视界传媒
Resisting Trump
Throughout the hourlong conversation, Allred criticized Trump administration policies.
性视界传媒淔olks elected Donald Trump so they could buy groceries, not Greenland,性视界传媒 Allred said.
Allred also criticized some of Trump性视界传媒檚 Cabinet picks, saying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 性视界传媒渃ouldn性视界传媒檛 manage a hot dog stand性视界传媒 and that there were concerns that National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard was a 性视界传媒淩ussian plant.性视界传媒
The Republican-controlled Senate should have blocked many of Trump性视界传媒檚 appointments, Allred said. And he predicted more controversies akin to the security breach in which top Trump officials inadvertently included a journalist in a group chat about the administration性视界传媒檚 plans to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen.
性视界传媒淭his is the first example of what will likely be many that we will see in which some kind of nonsense happens because we have people in place who are unqualified and shouldn性视界传媒檛 be on the job in the first place.性视界传媒
Allred also questioned Trump性视界传媒檚 use of tariffs, saying Texas lawmakers should be against them. Earlier this month Trump postponed 25% tariffs on many imports from Canada and Mexico as fears of a trade war persisted among some economic experts. The White House says its tariff policy involves stopping the smuggling of fentanyl across the nation性视界传媒檚 borders.
性视界传媒淚f you性视界传媒檙e an elected official in Texas, you better be against tariffs,性视界传媒 Allred said. 性视界传媒淲e性视界传媒檙e the No. 1 trade state in the country ... that性视界传媒檚 what we do. That性视界传媒檚 our economy.性视界传媒
George, the Republican Party chairman, said Americans were pleased with Trump性视界传媒檚 policy actions and dismissed Allred性视界传媒檚 criticism as partisan spin.
性视界传媒淗e性视界传媒檚 a Democrat,性视界传媒 George said. 性视界传媒淭rump性视界传媒檚 doing a great job. Every day is an adventure.性视界传媒
'A tough election'
Allred on Tuesday briefly discussed his failed 2024 Senate campaign.
性视界传媒淚t was a tough election,性视界传媒 Allred said at the forum. 性视界传媒淚n a lot of ways it was an election that was dominated by things that were not about the candidates ... there was a malaise. There was an atmosphere that was difficult to punch through.性视界传媒
Allred told the Morning News he did what he could to win, but it was a bad election cycle for Texas Democrats. He said voter turnout among Democrats dropped 6% in Dallas County and 10% in Harris County. Trump beat Vice President Kamala Harris by nearly 14 percentage points. Cruz beat Allred by nearly 9 points.
性视界传媒淭here are certainly some things that were outside of my control, but I also think that there are some things that the Democratic Party fundamentally got wrong,性视界传媒 Allred said. 性视界传媒淎nd in order to win elections, whether it性视界传媒檚 in Texas or anywhere else, we have to address some of those things. And that性视界传媒檚 about more than one candidate or campaign.性视界传媒
He predicted that he would again be a candidate for office, perhaps in 2026.
性视界传媒淚 still want to be involved on the surface, and I will be,性视界传媒 Allred said. 性视界传媒淲hat I think is really important is that we not just wait until the election to be activists and to be involved ... because there性视界传媒檚 so much to do every single day.性视界传媒
For at least the next few months, Allred said his main job is being a family man.
性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檝e been enjoying time with my family,性视界传媒 he said. 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檝e got two little boys, and for me, getting that time to recover has been important.性视界传媒
