HOUSTON — Colin Allred, a former U.S. representative from Dallas and the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate last year in Texas, said Monday that he was dropping out of the 2026 race for Sen. John Cornyn’s seat and would instead seek to return to the House of Representatives.

His announcement came as Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a firebrand representative also from the Dallas area, appeared to be preparing to enter the Democratic primary, with an announcement set for Monday afternoon.

Crockett’s expected entrance into the race, which she had been teasing in recent days during media appearances, immediately upended a primary contest that had focused on two prominent and well-funded candidates: Allred and James Talarico, a state representative with a growing national profile in the party.

Allred said his decision was in part out of concern among Democrats that, with three candidates in the race, a runoff was likely and could hobble the party’s chances in the general election against Cornyn or one of his main Republican primary opponents, Attorney General Ken Paxton or Rep. Wesley Hunt.

“I’ve come to believe that a bruising Senate Democratic primary and runoff would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump” and his Republican allies running for Senate, Allred said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Talarico said Monday that he would remain in the primary, which takes place March 3.

Republicans in Texas have not lost a statewide office in more than 30 years. But Democrats are hopeful that the 2026 midterms could provide an opportunity, with voters concerned about the cost of living and President Donald Trump’s approval ratings flagging. The party came closest to winning during Trump’s first term, in 2018, when Beto O’Rourke, an El Paso member of Congress, rode a midterm Democratic wave and nearly unseated Sen. Ted Cruz.

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By J. David Goodman/Desiree Rios
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