Former Rep. Colin Allred has won the Democratic primary runoff in Texas's 33rd Congressional District, defeating incumbent Rep. Julie Johnson in a race that became competitive after redistricting reshaped the Dallas-area seat, NBC News projected.
The May 26 runoff concluded a months-long contest that began when Allred abandoned his Senate campaign and instead sought to reclaim a House seat he previously held. In the March 3 first-round primary, Allred led with 44% while Johnson received 33%, forcing Tuesday's runoff because neither candidate achieved a majority.
Johnson replaced Allred in Congress after he made his first bid for the Senate in 2024, losing to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz that November. The dynamic of Allred running against his own successor created what Johnson described as an "awkward" situation during the campaign.
Allred, an attorney and former professional football player who served in the Obama administration, first won Congress in 2018 by flipping a longtime Republican seat in the Dallas suburbs during that year's Democratic wave. He served three terms before launching his Senate campaigns.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative commentators argued that Allred's Senate loss to Cruz in 2024 showed limitations in his electoral appeal beyond safely Democratic territory. Some Republicans noted that while the 33rd District is solidly blue, Allred's prior suburban coalition may face different tests in a general election.
Texas Republican strategists pointed to the primary as evidence of internal Democratic tensions over political succession and ideological purity. The race echoed broader debates within the party about whether candidates with moderate voting records can satisfy progressive primary voters.
National Republicans have not targeted the 33rd District, which is expected to remain in Democratic hands regardless of Tuesday's outcome.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive groups and immigration advocates closely watched the race given its focus on enforcement policy. Allred faced scrutiny over his past vote supporting a Trump-backed immigration detention law, though he has since called for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and moving its functions to other agencies.
Allred's campaign emphasized his record of electoral success in suburban Texas and his ability to win competitive districts. Supporters argued his prior congressional tenure demonstrated he could effectively represent the district, which remains heavily Democratic after redistricting.
Immigration rights organizations noted that Johnson's ownership of Palantir stock—data analytics company with federal contracts including work for ICE—became a campaign issue. Johnson stated she had an independent money manager and that the stocks were sold last year, according to congressional financial disclosure reports.
What the Numbers Show
First-round primary results (March 3): Allred received 44%, Johnson received 33%. The race proceeded to runoff because no candidate achieved a majority threshold.
Allred served three terms in the House from 2019 to 2025, representing Texas's 32nd District before redistricting. He lost the 2024 Senate race to Cruz by approximately 3 percentage points.
Johnson was first elected in 2024 to represent a different district configuration after Allred vacated the seat. She served one term before Tuesday's runoff defeat.
The 33rd District includes portions of Dallas and Tarrant counties. The district's new boundaries, drawn during Texas's redistricting process following the 2020 Census, altered its composition significantly from previous versions.
Tuesday also saw another Texas House Democrat lose a primary, as longtime Rep. Al Green, 78, was defeated by Rep. Christian Menefee, 38, after Republican redistricting placed them in the same district.
The Bottom Line
Allred's victory returns him to Congress just two years after leaving, making him one of several former members to reclaim House seats through primary challenges against successors. His win highlights how redistricting can create unusual electoral dynamics that reshape political careers.
Johnson's defeat marks a rapid fall from office—she will have served less than two full years in Congress. The outcome raises questions about her future role in Texas Democratic politics and whether she might seek another offices.
The general election presents no serious Republican challenge in the deep-blue district, meaning Allred is effectively assured of returning to the House when the new Congress convenes in January 2027. His victory adds a third former member of Congress—alongside Menefee—to Texas's Democratic delegation.