Democrats Colin Allred and Julie Johnson Exchange Fire Over Ethics and Immigration in Tense Primary Debate
The Democratic primary for Texas’ 33rd Congressional District turned sharply personal this week as former Congressman Colin Allred and current U.S. Representative Julie Johnson clashed over ethics, stock trading, and immigration records. During a heated meeting with The Dallas Morning News editorial board, the two high-profile Democrats exchanged accusations just weeks before the March 3 primary election.
Allred, who previously represented the 32nd District before vacating the seat for a U.S. Senate bid in 2024, launched a direct attack on Johnson’s financial disclosures. He highlighted her trading of stock in Palantir Technologies, a data analytics contractor that has assisted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with deportation operations. Allred noted that the trades occurred in early 2025, shortly before the presidential administration began ramping up deportation efforts.
“We have to have representatives who will do what’s in the public interest first,” Allred stated, emphasizing that he never traded a single stock during his tenure in Congress to avoid conflicts of interest. He argued that investing in companies facilitating deportations while publicly criticizing ICE created a discrepancy between her rhetoric and her financial actions.
Johnson, who succeeded Allred in the 32nd District before redistricting pitted them against each other in the new 33rd District, pushed back strongly. She characterized Allred’s attacks as “not fair,” explaining that her portfolio was managed by independent third parties. Johnson clarified that she began divesting from the controversial stocks in March 2025 and had fully cleared the position by June, insisting her voting record proves her commitment to immigrant rights.
The confrontation shifted to policy, where Johnson accused Allred of abandoning Democratic values for political expediency. She criticized his past vote for a Republican-led resolution that condemned the Biden administration’s “open-borders policies,” a move she described as “bending the knee” to GOP extremists rather than defending vulnerable communities. Johnson touted her own record of voting against Department of Homeland Security funding bills that she argued enabled “terrorizing” tactics by federal agents.
Allred defended his voting record, arguing that the district requires a representative capable of bipartisanship and acknowledging the realities of border security. He framed his past decisions as necessary steps to address a broken immigration system without ignoring the rule of law, suggesting Johnson’s approach lacked the pragmatic balance needed to govern effectively in Texas.
The tension between the two candidates underscores the high stakes of the race. After Allred lost his Senate challenge, he sought to return to the House, only to find his former successor standing in his way. Johnson has framed Allred as a “parachuting” candidate who abandoned his constituents for higher office, while Allred positions himself as a battle-tested legislator ready to reclaim a leadership role.
With early voting approaching, the clash highlights the deep ideological and personal rifts forming within the North Texas Democratic establishment as voters decide between two well-known figures with distinct approaches to governance and ethics.
dallasnews.com
hoodline.com
texastribune.org
texastribune.org
