Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) is reportedly considering running against Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) during the 2024 cycle.
Over recent weeks, Allred's team has been meeting with strategists in the hope of charting out a statewide campaign to unseat Cruz while also assessing the cost of such a run, according to multiple reports.
OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT: RUBIO AND CRUZ ASK WHY BIDEN HASN'T FIRED PETE BUTTIGIEG
Allred, a former NFL player and special assistant in the Obama-era Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of General Counsel, secured a breakthrough congressional win for Texas's 32nd Congressional District in 2018. He bested former Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) and flipped the seat in a Democratic wave year.
In the time since his breakthrough victory, Allred has defended his seat twice despite it being a swing district with many conservative voters. He is currently one of about 13 Democrats in the Texas delegation to the House, which features 37 seats.
Although he is widely seen as a rising star in North Texas among Democrats, his profile is less known nationally compared to Cruz's prior opponent, former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-TX), who ran within about 2.6 percentage points of Cruz in 2018.
Cruz has bowed out of running for president in 2024 and has recommitted to seeking a third term in the Senate.
During his last Senate run, Cruz was plagued by rumors that he was harboring national ambitions following his unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign. In 2018, Cruz successfully battled off O'Rourke despite the Democratic hopeful raising a record-breaking $80 million in campaign firepower. By comparison, Cruz only raised $38.9 million.
In the time since, Cruz has sought to ease concerns about his aspirations, stressing in a CBS interview earlier this month that he is "fighting for 30 million Texans."
Last election cycle, O'Rourke was beaten by double digits at the hands of Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX), dimming Democratic hopes of eking out a statewide victory for the major seat.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Should Allred decide to run, he will be doing so during one of the toughest Senate maps for Democrats in years. Democrats will be forced to defend 23 seats, three of which are held by Democratic-aligned independent senators, while Republicans only have to defend about 11.
The Washington Examiner contacted an Allred spokesperson for comment.