WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama on Wednesday endorsed two Texas Democrats running for Congress: Colin Allred, a former Obama official and challenger to Dallas Rep. Pete Sessions, and Adrienne Bell, a teacher hoping to unseat Friendswood Rep. Randy Weber.

They were the only Texans among the 81 candidates in Obama's first round of endorsements.

"I'm proud to endorse such a wide and impressive array of Democratic candidates — leaders as diverse, patriotic, and big-hearted as the America they're running to represent," Obama said in a statement.

"I'm confident that, together, they'll strengthen this country we love by restoring opportunity that's broadly shared, repairing our alliances and standing in the world, and upholding our fundamental commitment to justice, fairness, responsibility, and the rule of law," he said. "But first, they need our votes — and I'm eager to make the case for why Democratic candidates deserve our votes this fall."

A statement from the former president's office mentioned "several promising Obama Administration and campaign alumni" on the list — such as Allred and Bell — "who heeded the President's call in his farewell speech to 'grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself.'"

Allred is a lawyer who served as special assistant to the general counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Bell was a field organizer in Houston for Obama's re-election campaign in 2012.

"I am honored to have President Obama's endorsement of our grassroots campaign. His farewell address played a meaningful role in my decision to continue public service and run for office in the community where I grew up," Allred said in a statement. "His words inspired me to '...carry this hard work of democracy forward.'"

"At a time when North Texas is facing significant challenges, I am committed to being a public servant who can bring people and communities together so we can strengthen our democracy," Allred said.

Texas is one of 14 states in which Obama backed candidates, and the Texas Democratic Party capitalized on the two endorsements as a sign of support for all Democrats in the Lone Star State.

"Texans are demanding change and President Obama knows Texas Democrats are ready to fight for it," Crystal K. Perkins, executive director of the Texas Democratic Party, said in a statement. "The road to hold Trump accountable and take back Congress comes through Texas."

The Republican National Committee responded to the endorsements with criticism of Obama.

"No one's more to blame for how weak today's Democratic Party is than President Obama," spokesman Michael Ahrens said in a statement. "He cost them over 1,000 legislative seats, decimated their state parties, and voters rejected his policies at the ballot box less than two years ago."

The Sessions campaign reacted similarly to the news that Obama had backed Allred.

"It is no surprise that a president who forced a government takeover of health care and imposed billions of dollars of job-killing regulations on our country would support the most radically liberal Democrat to ever run in North Texas," spokesperson Caroline Boothe said.

The two Obama-backed candidates have starkly different prospects in November.

The battle for Congressional District 32 between Allred and Sessions has been rated a "toss-up" by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report — the most competitive rating. Democrat Hillary Clinton carried the district in 2016.

Also, Allred has outraised Sessions, though he still lags in cash on hand. Second-quarter filings showed a $500,000 difference between Allred's $3.2 million and Sessions' $2.7 million in contributions.

In contrast, Weber's Congressional District 14 in suburban Houston is rated "solid" Republican by Cook — indicating that his seat is considered safe. Trump carried the district by almost 20 points in 2016.

Weber has outraised Bell more than 5 to 1. At last count, he had about $558,600 to her $105,000.

"On behalf of the thousands of grassroots supporters and volunteers that work tirelessly for our campaign, I am so honored to receive President Barack Obama's endorsement to lead Texas Congressional District 14," Bell said in a statement.

We were just endorsed by @BarackObama to lead TX-14. https://t.co/k72ye3303t — Adrienne Bell (@AdrBell) August 1, 2018

"Colin Allred and Adrienne Bell are building the blue wave by focusing on the issues that matter most to working Texans, organizing their communities, and getting out the vote," said Perkins, the Texas Democratic executive director.

Obama did not include incumbents in his first round of endorsements. He also stayed away from a number of high-profile races, including the attempt by U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Polls released Wednesday put O'Rourke within 2 to 6 percentage points of Cruz.

The statement that accompanied the endorsements said that Obama would campaign in a number of states ahead of the November midterm elections, though it did not specify which ones. The statement also said a second round of endorsements was expected.