NBC News is projecting that Democrat and former NFL linebacker Colin Allred will unseat longtime Republican Rep. Pete Sessions in Texas’ 32nd District.
Allred, a civil rights lawyer, focused his campaign on universal health-care coverage, improving education and fixing the U.S. immigration system.
The Republican Party had been sounding the alarm bells in this district since it became clear that Sessions may have been on the verge of being upset.
GOP outside groups spent $4 million against Allred and put down $1.2 million backing Sessions, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. In total, outside spending just exceeded $11 million in the race.
Members of President Donald Trump’s administration and family also got involved, including Donald Trump Jr. and Vice President Mike Pence.
“He’s in a competitive race,” Pence, a former congressman himself, said about Sessions. “The balance of Congress may be decided in Texas in this district.”
Nonpartisan analysis site Sabato’s Crystal Ball marked the 32nd District as a toss-up. A New York Times Upshot poll showed Sessions, who had been in Congress since 1997, holding a 1-point edge over Allred.
According to the same survey, which polled 500 potential voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.8 percentage points, 52 percent said they disapproved of Trump while 44 percent approved.
