In a last-minute shake-up, Democrat Colin Allred announced Monday morning he is dropping out of the U.S. Senate race in Texas, hours before Rep. Jasmine Crockett filed paperwork to enter the Democratic primary for the race. Instead, Allred said he is going to file paperwork to run for a newly drawn Congressional seat in Dallas County, setting up a primary challenge with Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson. 

In a statement Allred said, "In the past few days, 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 one of his Republican bootlickers Paxton, Cornyn, or Hunt. That's why I've made the difficult decision to end my campaign for the U.S. Senate."

"But I'm nowhere near done serving my community and our state. Today, I'm announcing my campaign for Congress to represent the newly drawn Congressional District 33. The 33rd district was racially gerrymandered by Trump in an effort to further rig our democracy but it's also the community where I grew up attending public schools and watching my mom struggle to pay for our groceries. Veterans in this district have access to the Garland VA hospital that I made a reality when I served in Congress. I have also secured over $135 million in federal resources for affordable housing, public transportation and health care for this district. It's the community where I was raised, and where Aly and I are now raising our two boys. It is my home."

Johnson, who replaced Allred in the 32rd Congressional District, will be his main opponent in the primary. Johnson released a statement Monday morning after Allred's announcement, without mentioning him by name.

"This new district deserves representation that has been present in the tough moments, including throughout the redistricting fight, instead of parachuting back when another campaign doesn't work out. Families here are dealing with rising costs, housing pressures, and real economic strain. They deserve someone with a strong record in Democratic collaboration and support," Johnson said.

Where the Texas Democratic primary for U.S. Senate stands now

Allred's 11th hour move all but confirmed Crockett's decision to run for U.S. Senate, an idea she had warmed to over the past couple of months. Crockett is set to hold a news conference in Dallas at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, 90 minutes before the state's deadline for candidates to file their paperwork for the upcoming March 3rd primary. She told CBS News Texas last month that for her to run for Senate, she would need to see data and polling indicating she could win a general election, not just the primary. With Allred's departure from the Senate race, Crockett will face state Rep. James Talarico of Austin, who has already filed his paperwork. He raised a record $6.2 million in the first three weeks after his announcement and has also generated national headlines. 

Allred entered the Senate race in July. While there are other Democratic candidates in the Senate race, the potential for a runoff is a lot lower than when Allred was in the race. The winner of the Democratic primary for Senate will face the winner of the Republican primary, where incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is fighting off a challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton and Houston Rep. Wesley Hunt. Many analysts believe Paxton could win the GOP primary, and as a result, various big-name Democrats have considered running for U.S. Senate because they believe they have an opportunity to win a statewide race for the first time in more than 30 years given the attorney general's political baggage. 

Allred's announcement comes amid the recent fight between Democrats and Republicans over the mid-decade redistricting over congressional districts in Texas has upended a lot of races. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the 2025 Congressional maps that Republicans redrew over the summer, which are aimed at giving the GOP up to five new House seats in Texas at the expense of Democrats. 

Allred, who ran against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz last year and lost by about nine percentage points, is now fighting to get back into Congress. He represented the 32nd Congressional District in Dallas for three terms but did not file for re-election last year so he could run for Cruz's Senate seat. Johnson succeeded Allred in office. 

Now that the 32nd Congressional District will become a Republican majority seat, Johnson decided to run in the 33rd District, which remains a Democratic majority seat and is now only in Dallas County.

Crockett is leaving behind her seat in Congress representing the 30th District in Dallas. As a result of the Supreme Court upholding the 2025 congressional maps, CBS News Texas previously reported that Democratic Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth is expected to run in the 30th Congressional District, which is in mostly Dallas County, and a part of eastern Tarrant County. He may be joined by Dr. Frederick Haynes III, senior pastor at Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas. A spokeswoman told CBS News Texas that he was seriously exploring entering the race and confirmed that he was aware of an effort underway to draft him to run.  

The newly drawn 32nd Congressional District moves from a Democratic majority to a Republican majority. Republican candidates include Ryan Binkley, Darrell Day, Aimee Carrasco, Monty Montanez and Paul Bondar.

Longtime California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa briefly considered running in this North Texas district but changed his mind after meeting with President Trump. He will run for re-election in his San Diego-area district, which was redrawn by Democrats in California as a result of and to neutralize Texas' redistricting. Texas state Rep.Katrina Pierson, R-Rockwall, also considered running for this seat, but has announced she is running for re-election in her Texas House district.