Who's running in Texas's 33rd congressional district
2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Nothing documented in the sources reviewed.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for Texas's 32nd District, 2019 to 2025.
Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2024; lost to Ted Cruz.
Former NFL linebacker; civil rights attorney; Dallas native.
Defeated sitting Rep. Julie Johnson in the May 26, 2026 Democratic primary runoff.
Is not the incumbent for this district; the previous member, Marc Veasey, was drawn into the 25th, and Jasmine Crockett, drawn into the 33rd, ran for the Senate.
Arguments in favor
He beat a sitting member of Congress in his own party, leading the first round 44% to 33% and winning the runoff outright — after three terms representing the neighbouring 32nd District.
— Primary and runoff results reported by the Texas Tribune and NBC News
He ran on holding members to account for their own finances, attacking the incumbent's stock trades during the primary.
— Colin Allred's campaign, reported by CBS Texas
Arguments against
He is a "flip-flopper" on immigration: he voted for the Laken Riley Act in 2024, which requires undocumented immigrants to be held without bond for offences including shoplifting, and now calls for abolishing ICE.
— Julie Johnson, the incumbent he defeated in the Democratic runoff
His 2024 Senate campaign "really was mediocre": he lost to Ted Cruz by more than eight points, ran almost no ground operation, leaned on television, social media and influencers, and visited 34 of Texas's 254 counties.
— Houston Chronicle opinion, and the Texas Tribune's account of the campaign
What we couldn’t verify
His response to the immigration flip-flop charge was not established from the sources found beyond his stated reason — that he lost faith in ICE after deportations were ramped up.
No criticism of him by name from Patrick Gillespie's campaign or from the National Republican Congressional Committee was found.
This district was newly drawn in Texas's 2025 mid-decade redistricting; its boundaries are what brought him into it.
Halting what he calls Marxist actions and Communist principles in government, schools and the military.
Stopping illegal border crossings and addressing the situation on the Mexican side of the border rather than at ports of entry.
Reducing the national debt.
Combating fentanyl, which he calls the leading killer of young adults.
Peace through strength, opposing Chinese land purchases near U.S. military bases.
Switching coal plants to natural gas and withdrawing from the Paris climate accords; photo identification for voting; a mental health rather than gun restriction approach to gun violence.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Works in the international division of UPS Supply Chain Solutions.
Won the Republican nomination against John Sims.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Gillespie by name could be found: not from Colin Allred or his campaign, not from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and not from Dallas news coverage, which centred on the Democratic runoff. Because no case against him exists on the record, none is presented for him either, rather than showing his own campaign's case unanswered.
His positions and record were not stated in material available beyond his campaign site.
His fundraising totals were not reported in material available.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
This district's roster changed twice through redistricting. Texas's 2025 mid-decade map moved Marc Veasey, the previous member, into the 25th, and moved Jasmine Crockett into the 33rd; Crockett then ran for the U.S. Senate instead. Former congressman Colin Allred beat sitting Rep. Julie Johnson in the May 26, 2026 Democratic runoff, and Patrick Gillespie beat John Sims for the Republican nomination. The redrawn district lies entirely within Dallas County, takes in part of downtown Dallas, and leans heavily Democratic. Roster confirmed against the Texas Secretary of State's certified ballot. Neither candidate is listed with arguments for or against here: no published criticism of either candidate by name from someone opposing them in this general election could be found, and setting out a case against one and not the other would tilt the page.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Texas ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.