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Democratic infighting erupted after a handful of prominent lawmakers railed against former Rep. Colin Allred following Tuesday’s runoff election win, citing the Black Democrat’s decision to unseat Texas’ sole openly lesbian lawmaker.
Reps. Mark Takano, D-Calif., and Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., co-chairs of the Democrat-aligned Equality Caucus’ political arm, sharply criticized Allred for challenging Rep. Julie Johnson in the Democratic primary for a deep-blue Dallas-anchored House seat.
“It’s no secret that, without Julie, Texas — and likely the entire South — will lose openly LGBTQ representation in Congress,” the Equality PAC co-chairs wrote in a statement Wednesday. “Many in our community remain deeply hurt by Colin Allred’s decision to challenge one of our own.”
“As he moves forward, he bears a responsibility to help heal those divisions and rebuild trust with the communities impacted by this race,” they added.
Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, center, has come under fierce criticism from Reps. Mark Takano, D-Calif., left, and Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., right, over his decision to challenge Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Texas, in a hotly contested Democratic primary. (Getty Images)
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The statement marked a notable rift in the party that has embraced identity politics, pitting a Black Democrat who is straight against a White lesbian lawmaker.
Prominent Democratic-aligned commentators blasted the statement as unhelpful to the party’s election efforts.
“Oh my god, this kind of whining is so off-putting. Straight people are allowed to run for office,” journalist Josh Barro wrote on social media.
“Leave this s— in Woke 1, besties,” Tré Easton, a former senior aide to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said in response to the Equality PAC statement.
The Equality PAC’s attack on Allred also comes as House Democratic leadership has accused Republicans of trying to gut Black representation in Congress by pursuing redistricting in southern states.
“In addition to trying to rig the midterm elections, they want to decimate Black and Latino representation in Congress,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said of Republicans on MS NOW earlier in May.
Former Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, is poised to make a return to Congress after winning a Democratic primary runoff election on Tuesday. (Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images)
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The Equality PAC contributed at least $484,000 to Johnson’s campaign, the Texas Tribune reported. Johnson also serves as a vice-chair of the group.
Allred comfortably defeated Johnson Tuesday by a nearly 8-point margin in the Democratic primary runoff election.
The decisive victory ends Johnson’s short-lived career after she succeeded Allred in the House when he launched a failed Senate bid against Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2024.
Rep. Julie Johnson, a Democrat from Texas, speaks during a New Democrat Coalition news conference on healthcare at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 3, 2025. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg)
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The former congressman chose to challenge Johnson late last year after suspending his campaign for Texas’ 2026 Senate race.
Spokespersons for Allred and Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
