U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson and former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred have launched an unusually combative fight for the Democratic nomination in Texas’ newly drawn Congressional District 33, trading sharp criticisms almost as soon as the race began.
The matchup emerged from filing-day upheaval, when U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett announced a Senate run and Allred abruptly exited a separate Senate race to enter the District 33 primary.
According to The Texas Tribune, Republican lawmakers’ mid-decade redistricting proposal dramatically reshaped Democratic-held seats in North Texas, leaving three Democratic incumbents, Crockett, Johnson and U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, competing for just two viable districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Johnson’s previous district was redrawn into a safe Republican seat stretching into East Texas, while Veasey’s political base of Fort Worth was carved out of his district entirely. Crockett and Veasey ultimately opted not to seek reelection to the House, leaving Johnson as the only incumbent still pursuing a congressional seat.
Rather than facing Crockett or Veasey, Johnson now finds herself in a rare primary against her predecessor.
Allred, who represented the Dallas-based 32nd Congressional District for three terms before losing his 2024 Senate bid, dropped out of another Senate race on the filing deadline and pivoted to District 33, where Johnson had already filed.
A New District, Old Tensions
The new district includes about half of Dallas, stretches from Grand Prairie to Reinhardt, and has a racially diverse voting population, with approximately 38% Hispanic, 35% white and 20% Black.
Johnson has criticized Allred for what she describes as abandoning Dallas-area voters after his failed challenge to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and reentering congressional politics only after his Senate prospects dimmed.
In an interview on Lone Star Politics, Johnson said she was surprised by his decision to run, and contrasted their records.
“Colin and I have very different records. I’ve been able to actually achieve results for our community and for Texas,” she said.
Johnson pointed to her work on health care legislation, including efforts to expand access, and said Allred declined to sign onto a prescription drug accessibility bill.
“I think I’m the best fit for this district,” Johnson said, adding that support for her campaign has been overwhelming.
Allred Pushes Back
Allred has rejected the idea that Johnson is an incumbent in District 33, arguing it is a new seat shaped by what he calls a racially discriminatory Republican gerrymander.
“It’s kind of outrageous for anybody to think that they’re entitled to any district anywhere, especially one that’s not theirs, but particularly to a majority-minority one,” Allred said.
He has emphasized the district’s diversity and said it requires strong representation at a time when, he argues, minority voices are being diminished by redistricting.
Stock Trading and Ethics
Allred has also attacked Johnson over stock trading during her first year in Congress.
“She’s been there for less than a year, and she spent her time trading hundreds of stocks and making herself fantastically wealthier, while people in Texas are struggling to get by,” Allred said during an interview with Lone Star Politics, adding that he did not trade stocks during his six years in the House.
Johnson has said that framing is inaccurate, explaining that she is divesting her holdings to comply with legislation she has cosponsored to ban stock trading by members of Congress.
Party Friction
According to The Dallas Morning News, Johnson has cited endorsements from the New Democrat Coalition, of which both candidates are members, and said she secured roughly $15 million in earmarks for North Texas while introducing legislation related to health care and housing.
Asked whether he consulted Crockett before withdrawing from the Senate race, Allred said he did not share his plans with her. He said he stepped aside because Democrats “can’t have the luxury” of prolonged primaries and runoffs that could weaken the party ahead of the general election.
Both candidates have emphasized personal ties to the area. Allred says he grew up in Dallas and lives just outside the new district boundary. Johnson says she has lived and worked in the Dallas area for decades.
The primary election is scheduled for March 3, concluding what has already become one of the most closely watched Democratic races in Texas.
