Democrat Colin Allred Upsets Republican Pete Sessions After 22 Years In Congress
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Democrat Colin Allred defeated Republican incumbent Pete Sessions for the 32nd Congressional District seat.
"We're in this together… We're all Americans, we're all Texans. And starting tonight, we're going to start acting like it," Allred said during his victory speech in Dallas.
The political newcomer was born and raised in North Texas, and says he wants to give back. "This is a personal race for me. I'm running in my hometown."
Healthcare is the Democrats' number one issue, and Allred says he favors a plan that would continue having businesses provide health insurance to their employees, and have Congress approve of another option not available now: "I think the best way to do that is through a medicare buy-in in which if you're in the individual market, and you want to have a low cost option that will compete with a private insurer, you might be able to take that option, and hopefully, that will drive down costs for all of us."
Allred opposed the tax cuts passed by Republicans last year, and says he believes the first bill approved by the next Congress should be for infrastructure improvements.
Some Democrats in Congress have said if they retake the House, they would conduct investigations into President Trump, and consider impeaching him.
Allred says he doesn't talk about that. "I don't want to go to Congress and gum up the works. I don't want to go there and find every way possible I possibly can to go after the President. I think there are things we need to get done."
CBS 11 asked Allred about potential pressure from House leadership to vote a certain way and if there is any scenario in which he would vote against his party.
He said, "Of course, of course. If' it's good for North Texas, of course I would. And I'm a former NFL linebacker, I don't think anyone's going to be pressuring me into anything."
A New York Times/Siena College poll of 500 likely voters conducted between September 19-24 showed Sessions with a one point lead, 48 to 47 percent.
Outgoing Rep. Pete Sessions said to supporters in his concession speech, "I deeply encourage each of you to recommit yourself tonight despite the sting and the hard work that you're not sure that the extra mile is worth going… to recommit yourself to service."\
The website, FiveThirtyEight, said Monday the race still leaned Republican and gaveSessions a seven in ten chance to win re-election and Allred a three in ten chance to beat Sessions.
Allred thanked all of this supporters and the organizations who helped him win in the tight race.
"North Texas is my home… everything that I have done has been made possible because of North Texas," Allred said towards the end of his victory speech Tuesday.
