Rep. Colin Allred (D., Texas), a former professional football player who later worked in the Obama administration, said he was challenging Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in what is seen as a long-shot bid to unseat the polarizing Texas lawmaker.
Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat statewide since 1994, but Mr. Cruz’s close re-election in 2018 gave Democrats hope that he is vulnerable. Democrats control the Senate 51-49, but they face a tough electoral map in 2024.