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Thank you very much for your support. This is the Daily Blast from the New Republic, produced and presented by the DSR Network.

I'm your host, Greg Sargent.

Texas is a state that seems to break the hearts of

Democrats everywhere in just about every cycle. It keeps seeming within reach for the party,

yet it always slips away at the last minute, showing its true colors, which are deep red.

Now hopes are rising again. On Tuesday, Congressman Colin Allred, a former NFL player and civil

rights lawyer, captured the Democratic nomination to unseat Senator Ted Cruz, and he's

vowing a campaign that will appeal to a wide range of voters. Yet Beto O'Rourke, who in 2018, ran one of the

most promising Democratic campaigns in Texas in years, fell nearly three points short of beating crews.

What will be different this time?

Here to talk about this is Congressman Alred himself.

Welcome, Congressman.

Thanks so much for having me.

Can you tell us a bit about your background, for starters?

Sure.

...