Colin Allred to Challenge Ted Cruz for Texas Senate Seat

Representative Colin Allred, a Democrat from Texas, announced that he will challenge Senator Ted Cruz for his seat in the Senate. Allred, a former civil rights lawyer and NFL linebacker, presented himself as a bipartisan politician who could overcome the long odds of a Democrat winning statewide office in Texas. Cruz is highly unpopular among Texas Democrats, but he has so far survived all attempts to oust him. Allred's decision to enter the race began emerging in news reports before Wednesday’s announcement, and he has seen expectations for his campaign set low.