Former Rep. Colin Allred won the Democratic primary runoff for a Dallas-anchored House seat on Tuesday, defeating Rep. Julie Johnson, Texas's sole openly lesbian member of Congress, by a nearly 8-point margin.
Allred, who previously served in the House before launching an unsuccessful Senate bid against Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024, entered the race for Johnson's seat late last year after suspending his Senate campaign. His victory sets up a general election contest in what is considered a deep-blue district, virtually ensuring he will return to Congress.
What the Right Is Saying
Other prominent Democrats pushed back against the Equality PAC's statement. Journalist Josh Barro wrote on social media: "Oh my god, this kind of whining is so off-putting. Straight people are allowed to run for office." Tré Easton, a former senior aide to Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, responded to the Equality PAC statement by writing: "Leave this s--- in Woke 1, besties." The pushback reflects frustration among some Democrats who argue that candidate qualifications should supersede identity-based considerations.
What the Left Is Saying
Reps. Mark Takano of California and Ritchie Torres of New York, co-chairs of Equality PAC, the political arm of the Congressional Equality Caucus, issued a sharp statement criticizing Allred for challenging Johnson in the primary. "It's no secret that, without Julie, Texas — and likely the entire South — will lose openly LGBTQ representation in Congress," they wrote. "Many in our community remain deeply hurt by Colin Allred's decision to challenge one of our own." The co-chairs added that Allred "bears a responsibility to help heal those divisions and rebuild trust with the communities impacted by this race." Johnson serves as a vice-chair of the Equality Caucus.
What the Numbers Show
Allred defeated Johnson by a nearly 8-point margin in Tuesday's Democratic primary runoff. According to Texas Tribune reporting, Equality PAC contributed at least $484,000 to Johnson's campaign. The Equality PAC had called out Republicans earlier this month for pursuing redistricting strategies that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said were designed "to decimate Black and Latino representation in Congress."
The Bottom Line
The primary outcome marks the end of Johnson's short-lived congressional career after she succeeded Allred when he first pursued his Senate bid. With Allred now positioned to win the safely Democratic seat, Democrats will retain the district's representation but lose their only openly LGBTQ member from Texas and potentially from the entire South. Spokespersons for both Allred and Johnson did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.