US Rep. Colin Allred: 'You can't just be a patriot if your side wins'

DALLAS – Colin Allred spoke to his supporters in Dallas on Tuesday evening after Ted Cruz declared victory in the Texas U.S. Senate race.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz won re-election in Texas on Tuesday, fending off a tough challenge from Allred.

The Associated Press declared Cruz the winner at 11:39 p.m. EST.

Allred, a former NFL linebacker who would have been Texas' first black senator, carried a moderate banner while largely keeping both Vice President Kamala Harris and progressive supporters at arm's length. He courted the support of Republicans – including former Rep. Liz Cheney – and ran as an abortion rights advocate in a state with one of the strictest bans in the country.

In his concession speech at his watch party in Dallas, Allred said he called Cruz and congratulated him on his victory.

“It shouldn’t be anything special to have to admit defeat,” he said. “You can’t just be a patriot when your team wins. We didn’t win tonight, but we will continue to be patriots.”

His campaign faced early criticism from some Democrats who grew restless over Allred's strategy of not filling his schedule with loud rallies or investing more in smaller parts of Texas, including cities along Texas's border with Mexico.

Cruz did significantly better against Allred than he did against O'Rourke six years ago, including a much stronger showing in predominantly Hispanic counties along the U.S.-Mexico border.

It was the latest failed attempt by Texas Democrats, who haven't won a statewide race in 30 years, the longest losing streak in the country.

Despite Texas' reliably red reputation, Democrats had hoped to capitalize on the state's changing demographics, which include a growing Hispanic and black population and an influx of residents from other states. Six years ago, Cruz narrowly eked out a victory over O'Rourke by less than three percentage points, a defeat that inspired Democrats across Texas.

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“It requires courage for everything that comes tomorrow and the day after. This country is worth fighting for. Understand that this state is worth fighting for. We are a great country. Nobody has to make us great again. We are great because we are good, and we are good because that is who we are as a people,” Allred said in his concession speech.

“I don’t want anyone to put their head down. I want you to put your shoulders back and pull your head up and walk out of here tall. That you voted in an American election. That's what we do, because in this country.” We don't settle our differences in the streets, we don't settle them with violence, we settle them at the ballot box. And if we don't win, we shake it off and come back next time. “

Allred was a star high school athlete from Dallas who played linebacker at Baylor University in Waco before a career in the NFL and then a career as a civil rights attorney. He also had experience defeating a Republican incumbent, having won a U.S. House seat in Dallas in 2018 that was held for more than two decades by Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions.