Summary (tl;dr)

Colin Allred has won the Democratic primary runoff for Texas's newly drawn 33rd Congressional District, defeating incumbent Julie Johnson in a contentious race that saw Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett endorse Allred.

Essential Background

Colin Allred previously served as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 32nd Congressional District from 2019 to 2025, a seat he vacated to unsuccessfully challenge Ted Cruz for the U.S. Senate in 2024. Julie Johnson then won and held Allred's former seat in the 32nd District. The current political landscape in Texas was significantly altered by a Republican-controlled redistricting process, which redrew congressional maps and created the new 33rd Congressional District. This redistricting effort forced Allred and Johnson, both prominent Dallas-area Democrats, into an unexpected primary contest for the newly formed district. Additionally, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett's earlier decision to run for the U.S. Senate in 2026 played a role in Allred's strategic shift from a Senate bid back to a House race in the 33rd District.

The Full Story

On May 26, 2026, Colin Allred secured the Democratic nomination for Texas's 33rd Congressional District by defeating incumbent Julie Johnson in a runoff election. The campaign leading up to the runoff was marked by sharp criticism from both candidates regarding each other's records. Allred notably attacked Johnson for her past stock trades, particularly investments in Palantir Technologies, a company associated with immigration enforcement operations. In response, Johnson accused Allred of being ineffective during his prior congressional term and of shifting to the right on immigration issues. The race also highlighted internal divisions within the Texas Democratic Party, as Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett publicly endorsed and campaigned for Allred, emphasizing his background as a voting rights lawyer. Other prominent Democrats, however, backed Johnson.

Why It Matters

Allred's victory in the Democratic primary runoff is significant as the 33rd Congressional District is considered "deep-blue" or "heavily Democratic," making his success in the November general election highly probable. The contentious primary underscores the profound impact of redistricting on incumbent politicians and reveals the evolving internal dynamics of the Democratic Party in Texas. Furthermore, the intense debate over issues like immigration policy and congressional stock trading during the campaign reflects broader concerns among voters and within the party. The outcome also has implications for LGBTQ+ representation, as Johnson's defeat means the unseating of the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to Congress from the South.

Geographic Location

• Dallas County, Texas, United States (Democratic primary runoff election for Texas's 33rd Congressional District)