Colin Allred, an NFL player-turned-lawmaker, looks to unseat Texas Sen. Ted Cruz

Rusty Shackleford, 31, of East Texas, said Allred is “taking Texas away from extremism, and placing it into purple state footing.”

Carolyn Bush, 73, of Everman, like many of Allred’s supporters, has latched on to the congressman’s zingers about sending Cruz to Cancun and away from the state office. “Ted Cruz does not support the real people of Texas. It’s time for him to move on, and I’m here to make sure he does just that,” she said.

The event at the bar drew a diverse crowd. There were groups of Black friends, Asian American supporters, a Latina mother with her children in tow, white women in colorful hats — all sharing an optimism about the upcoming election. And although Allred has not made his biracial identity a key component of his campaign, the significance of his race and his diverse base is not lost on him.

“My story is one of growing up as a Black kid in Texas who came home every night to a white family,” Allred said later at the phone-banking event in Dallas. “That’s given me some insight and empathy to understand some of the differences you see in our society, but also the similarities. What I’ve always tried to do is narrow those divides between us, not just by race but by all the factors that can divide you up in daily life.”

At the phone-banking event, Allred posed for pictures with 6-year-old Jerrin Norris, a little Black boy whose mother calls an “Allred stan.” Norris’ mother, Passion Jackson, 43, has immersed Norris in her civic engagement since he was a baby — taking him to volunteer on campaigns and at political events. 

While he’s too young to vote, Norris made his opinion clear.

“The reason I like him,” Norris said, “is because he is the best one, and he wants to help our state and keep us safe!”