Andrew Schneider/Houston Public Media

CHICAGO — U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, will converse from the principle stage of the Democratic Nationwide Conference on Thursday to precise his help for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, his marketing campaign mentioned.

Allred is difficult U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, this yr in one of many Senate Democrats’ prime flip targets this yr. He has up to now run his race largely impartial of Democrats exterior the state, specializing in Texas points relatively than yoking his candidacy to the presidential ticket. Throughout an deal with to the Texas delegation on Thursday morning, Allred leaned closely into attacking Cruz with out mentioning Harris.

“I wish to each run for this workplace the way in which I plan on serving in it, which is that I’m centered on Texas,” Allred mentioned in an interview Thursday morning. “Now we have a really singular alternative, which is who’s going to serve us for the following six years. It’s going to be till 2030, previous the … time period of the following president.”

Allred will share the stage with different Home Democrats in aggressive Senate races, together with Michigan’s Elissa Slotkin and Arizona’s Ruben Gallego. Michigan and Arizona are each thought of extra aggressive than Texas. He’ll converse shortly earlier than Harris takes the stage to shut out the conference.

U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, will chair the conference on Thursday. Kim Mata-Rubio, whose daughter was killed within the Robb Elementary Faculty capturing, may even converse. Mata-Rubio ran unsuccessfully for Uvalde mayor final yr.

Harris’s marketing campaign has confirmed to be one thing of a doubled-edged sword for Allred. On the one hand, her historic candidacy seems to be boosting Democratic enthusiasm that might assist down-ballot candidates like him. However he is additionally been reluctant to point out an excessive amount of enthusiasm for the Democrat, as he tries to court docket impartial voters in a purple state.

In consequence, he is saved her at an arm’s size. He didn’t be a part of her for any of her half dozen appearances in Texas in July. And his preliminary endorsement of her was murky. He has not formally posted a marketing campaign assertion endorsing her, however his marketing campaign has informed reporters that he’s backing the vp.

In an interview Thursday, Allred acknowledged that voters he’s attempting to court docket might not be as supportive of Harris, who was a way more progressive lawmaker throughout her time within the U.S. Senate. Allred has voted towards his celebration on latest messaging payments, together with on the administration’s dealing with of the border.

“What I’m attempting to do on this marketing campaign is guarantee that the Texas I do know will get the illustration that it deserves, and so sure that, after all, will imply that we’re going to attempt to be reaching out to of us who possibly received’t be the identical targets as another campaigns,” Allred mentioned.

A ballot launched Thursday by the College of Houston’s Pastime Faculty of Public Affairs confirmed Allred 2 factors behind Cruz. It is a nearer margin than Cruz’s 2018 reelection towards Beto O’Rourke, the place Cruz received by slightly below 3 factors.

The Harris marketing campaign doesn’t think about Texas a battleground and doesn’t plan to spend money on the state. The quick runway for the marketing campaign, which launched after President Joe Biden stepped down from the ticket final month, has compelled the marketing campaign to be laser centered on its most attainable states.

“On the finish of the day, our accountability as a presidential marketing campaign is to make sure we get to 270 [electoral votes],” Harris marketing campaign supervisor Jen O’Malley Dillon mentioned at a DNC occasion on Tuesday. “I’d like to get to an even bigger quantity than that, however that’s all we care about.”

Allred wasn’t involved Harris’ marketing campaign wasn’t focusing extra on Texas. His Senate marketing campaign — like all Democratic statewide campaigns in Texas — largely deliberate its technique with out anticipating an inflow of sources from the highest of the ticket. Texas Democrats launched final month the primary coordinated marketing campaign led by a Senate candidate in many years, bundling sources for candidates throughout the poll.

“There are vital issues that will likely be occurring up and down the poll, particularly on the presidential stage, I perceive that. However for us, we’ve a really singular alternative, which is who’s going to serve us for the following six years,” Allred mentioned.

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