NFL players PAC targets two Texas congressional races

Colin Allred, left, a Democratic candidate for the House, speaks with volunteers at his campaign headquarters in Richardson, Texas, on June 7, 2018. Allred, a former professional football players, is getting financial help from a new political action committee created by the NFL Players Association. (Tamir Kalifa/The New York Times) less Colin Allred, left, a Democratic candidate for the House, speaks with volunteers at his campaign headquarters in Richardson, Texas, on June 7, 2018. Allred, a former professional football players, is getting ... more Photo: TAMIR KALIFA, STR / NYT Photo: TAMIR KALIFA, STR / NYT Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close NFL players PAC targets two Texas congressional races 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

A group of NFL players looking to take a more aggressive role in American politics is helping a pair of Texans in two of the nation’s hottest congressional races.

After raising more than $700,000 for a new political action committee fighting for their interests in Washington, the NFL players have begun cutting their first checks to key political campaigns, targeting two races in Texas.

The NFL Players Association’s One Team PAC sent $5,000 each to Democrat Colin Allred, who is trying to unseat Dallas Republican Rep. Pete Sessions, and San Antonio Republican Will Hurd, who faces a challenge from Iraq War veteran Gina Ortiz Jones.

The races are two of the biggest in Texas with both incumbents considered endangered, partly because of President Donald Trump’s lack of popularity in their districts.

Allred, 35, is a former professional football player who played four seasons with the Tennessee Titans. He’s one of two former NFL players running for office. The other is Republican Anthony Gonzalez, a former wide receiver with the Indianapolis Colts who is running for Congress in northeast Ohio, who also has the PAC’s support.

If either Gonzalez or Allred wins, it would mark the first time a former NFL player has been in Congress since 2015 when former U.S. Rep. Jon Runyan, a former NFL offensive lineman, retired from office. Runyan, a Republican from New Jersey, played 14 seasons in the NFL and was a member of the last Houston Oilers team before the franchise moved to Tennessee.

In addition to those three races, the newly created PAC has sent money to top U.S. House and Senate leaders on both sides of the political aisle. For instance, the group gave $5,000 to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, and U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican who is currently the House Majority leader. The players also gave $2,700 to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Senator.

The One Team PAC was formed in June 2016, but it didn’t start raising money until last year. The PAC raised $723,000 from more than 1,300 NFL players and players union officials, according to Federal Election Commission. NFL superstars including New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees are among the PAC’s donors.

The PAC’s emergence comes amid political fights over some NFL players protesting racial injustice during the playing of the national anthem. Players have also testified at Capitol Hill about traumatic brain injuries suffered by many former players.

More Information The NFLPA’s One Team PAC has donated to six candidates since the start of May 1. $5,000 - U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes 2. $5,000 - Democrat Colin Allred of Dallas 3. $5,000 - Republican Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio 4. $5,000 - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois 5. $5,000 - U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. 6. $2,700 - U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell SOURCE: Federal Election Commission

The One Team PAC is the first of its kind created by players from any of the major sports unions in the United States. While the union is new to donating to candidates, the NFL owners have a long history of political contributions through their Gridiron PAC, giving to both Republicans and Democrats. In June, new FEC records show U.S. Reps. Al Green and Sheila Jackson Lee, both Houston Democrats, and Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Heath, collected $2,500 each from the NFL PAC. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican, also received $5,000 earlier this year. A PAC bundles contributions from donors and can contribute to individual candidates.

Hurd is trying to win re-election to the 23rd Congressional District, which stretches from San Antonio to just outside of El Paso. He narrowly won his seat in 2016 and Democrat Hillary Clinton beat President Donald Trump by nearly 4 percentage points in the district.

Sessions is trying to hold the 32nd Congressional District, which is mostly based in Dallas County, but includes part of Collin County — one of the fastest growing counties in the state. Sessions easily won re-election in 2016, but Clinton bested Trump in the district by almost 2 percentage points.

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