John, I'm running to defeat Ted Cruz because this fight is personal for me. I'd love to take a moment to explain why.

I'm a fourth-generation Texan. I'm the proud son of a single mom who taught in public schools and sometimes worked a second job just to make ends meet.

Growing up, my world was pretty small. I never imagined I'd be working in the halls of Congress let alone taking on Ted Cruz, hoping to become the first Black senator from Texas. But I did dream of helping people – whether it was as Superman or a firefighter.

After playing football at Baylor University and in the NFL, I went to law school and became a civil rights attorney, specializing in voting rights. I've watched this fundamental right be attacked and eroded my whole life – right here in Texas we have some of the most restrictive voter laws in the country, and it's no secret that these laws target Black and brown voters.

It was one of the great honors of my life that one of my heroes and a voting rights and American giant, Congressman John Lewis, joined me on the campaign trail in 2018. I beat the odds – and an 11-term GOP incumbent – to win that race and help Democrats flip the House. Now I'm ready to do it again and replace Ted Cruz in the U.S. Senate – but I need your help. That's why I'm asking you to split a donation between my campaign and Mark Kelly's today →

We've all watched for 10 years as Ted Cruz has failed the people of Texas repeatedly. He's bowed down to Donald Trump, pushed dangerous conspiracy theories about the 2020 elections, cheered on the rioters that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 and abandoned our state while Texans froze in the dark. To add insult to injury, after we passed critical voting rights legislation in the House, he spearheaded the effort to kill it in the Senate.

Time and time again, Ted Cruz has made it clear he will always put Ted Cruz first. That's not me. I'm running for Senate to be a voice for all Texans, for families like yours and mine, and I hope you'll help me get there, friend. Because the truth is, unseating Ted Cruz won't be easy. It's possible, if we all work together and amass a grassroots movement like Texas has never seen, but I need you with me.

So please, will you split a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can between my campaign and Mark Kelly's to help me defeat Ted Cruz, flip Texas blue and expand our Democratic Senate majority? Every dollar makes a difference in our battleground race, and I truly appreciate it →

Thanks for reading my story – and for being on my team. I can't tell you what it means to have you with me in this fight from the very beginning.

Colin Allred

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Paid For By Mark Kelly for Senate

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Mark Kelly was a Captain in the U.S. Navy and astronaut. Use of his military rank, job titles and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of the Navy or Department of Defense and reference to NASA does not imply endorsement by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.