Terry Virts, a former NASA astronaut and International Space Station commander, has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in Texas as a Democrat. Virts positions himself as a "common-sense Democrat" with a background in the Air Force and emphasizes his commitment to change within the Democratic leadership in Washington, D.C., specifically targeting Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. He aims to challenge incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn. Virts has been described as a fighting Democrat aligned with notable Texas Democratic figures such as Lyndon B. Johnson and Ann Richards. Meanwhile, Colin Allred, a former Texas congressman and civil rights attorney, also declared his candidacy for the same Senate seat. Allred, a Dallas Democrat, previously ran in 2024 against Senator Ted Cruz and is seeking a second attempt to win a Senate seat in Texas. Both candidates are preparing to compete in the 2026 Senate race to replace or unseat the incumbent Senator Cornyn.