Colin Allred Wins Democratic Runoff for Texas’ 33rd Congressional District

Former Congressman Colin Allred has secured the Democratic nomination for Texas’ 33rd Congressional District in Dallas County after defeating incumbent U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson in a heated primary runoff election on Tuesday, CBS News and NBC News project. The runoff followed the March 3 primary, where Allred led with nearly 44% of the vote and Johnson trailed with over 33%, but neither candidate achieved the majority needed to avoid a runoff.

Allred, who previously represented a Dallas district and ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate last year, entered the race after dropping out of the Senate contest in deference to Rep. Jasmine Crockett. His decision to challenge Johnson, who succeeded him in a different district, created an “awkward” dynamic, Johnson told NBC News.

The campaign was marked by sharp exchanges over each candidate’s record. Allred criticized Johnson for her past stock holdings in Palantir, a data company linked to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), alleging she profited from companies he believes contribute to civil rights violations. Johnson responded that her investments were managed independently and that the stocks were sold last year.

Allred himself faced scrutiny over his previous votes related to immigration, including support for a Trump-backed immigration detention law. He has since called for abolishing ICE and redistributing its functions to other agencies, describing the current administration’s use of ICE as a “political tool to attack its enemies.”

Campaigning on his North Texas roots and experience securing federal funding, Allred positioned himself as a seasoned problem-solver while criticizing corporate influence in politics. He also received support from attorney Zeeshan Hafeez and business owner Carlos Quintanilla, who finished behind him and Johnson in the initial primary.

Allred will now face the Republican nominee in the November general election. Meanwhile, Johnson was one of two Texas House Democrats to lose their primaries on Tuesday, alongside longtime Rep. Al Green, who was defeated by fellow Democrat Christian Menefee following a Republican-led redistricting effort.