DALLAS – On Tuesday, former Texas congressman Colin Allred announced he is making another bid for the U.S. Senate. This decision follows last year’s record-breaking financial push by the Democrat in challenging Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, though it ultimately didn’t achieve the long sought-after breakthrough for his party in Texas.

This time, Allred is targeting the seat held by Republican Sen. John Cornyn. Sen. Cornyn will be facing a primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in what will likely be among the GOP’s most fiercely contested races in 2026.

Allred revealed his decision to run just seven months after his loss to Cruz, where he was defeated by nearly 9 percentage points. That race turned out to be one of the priciest in the nation last cycle, with Democrats pouring over $130 million into their efforts to topple Cruz.

A former NFL linebacker and attorney, Allred is the first high-profile Democrat to declare himself a candidate in the race that Democrats see as their best shot next year at ending a 30-year drought in statewide elections in Texas. Another former Democratic congressman, Beto O’Rourke, who came within 3 percentage points of defeating Cruz in 2018, also hasn’t ruled out a run.

In a video announcing his candidacy, Allred took aim at both Cornyn and Paxton and cast himself as a fighter for those struggling to get ahead.

“I get it. Real change might feel impossible,” Allred said. “But I’m not giving up.”

Allred tried to position himself as a moderate in last year’s race and made protecting abortion rights a centerpiece of his campaign. His supporters included Texas women who had serious pregnancy complications after the state’s abortion ban took effect.

But his campaign drew criticism early on from some Democrats who grew restless with Allred’s strategy of not packing his schedule with raucous rallies or investing more in smaller corners of Texas, including cities along the border with Mexico.

In the end, Texas Democrats’ streak of losses in statewide races continued while Republicans kept making gains along the predominately Hispanic border with Mexico, which had long been a Democratic stronghold.

Allred played four seasons in the NFL, all with the Tennessee Titans, after being undrafted out of Baylor University. He entered Congress after flipping a Republican district in Dallas in 2018.

Former astronaut Terry Virts also entered the U.S. Senate race as a Democratic candidate.

Looming over the GOP primary between Cornyn and Paxton is whether and when President Donald Trump will make an endorsement. In April, Trump praised both candidates and said he would make a decision later.