Former Athletes Win, Lose in Midterm Races
Several former professional athletes secured or fell short of congressional and statewide seats in the 2026 midterm elections.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Football
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Former football player Colin Allred won re-election to the U.S. House in Texas, defeating Republican Patrick Gillespie, while former MLB player Mark Teixeira won a Republican U.S. House seat narrowly over Democrat Kristin Hook. In Iowa, Josh Turek flipped a U.S. Senate seat by defeating Republican Ashley Hinson.
Why it matters
The results add to a growing number of athletes moving from sports into elected office, with several former players now holding or seeking national and statewide posts. The outcomes shape the composition of the House and Senate and highlight how sports careers are translating into political campaigns.
Colin Allred spent four seasons with the Tennessee Titans before a neck injury in 2010 ended his football career, and Mark Teixeira built a 14-year MLB career before winning a U.S. House seat. Vote margins for most of the named races were not available in the source extraction.
The players
Colin Allred
A former NFL linebacker who played four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, Allred later became a Democratic congressman representing Texas and was re-elected in the 2026 midterms.
Mark Teixeira
A former first baseman who spent 14 years in Major League Baseball, Teixeira won a Republican-held U.S. House seat in 2026.
Josh Turek
A Paralympian and two-time gold medalist in wheelchair basketball, Turek flipped an Iowa U.S. Senate seat in the 2026 midterms.
Tommy Tuberville
A former college and professional football coach and Alabama senator, Tuberville won the 2026 Alabama governor's race.
The details
Allred won re-election to the U.S. House in Texas, while Teixeira succeeds Rep. Chip Roy in a Republican-held seat after narrowly defeating Democrat Kristin Hook. Turek, a four-time Paralympian and two-time gold medalist in wheelchair basketball, flipped Iowa's Senate seat, and Tommy Tuberville won Alabama's governor's race over Doug Jones, while Michele Tafoya lost her Minnesota Senate bid.
Timeline
2010: A neck injury ended Colin Allred's football career.
November 3, 2026: Midterm elections were held, with former athletes winning and losing races across the country.
Seasonal Patterns
These outcomes extend a long-running pattern in which former professional athletes such as Jack Kemp and J.C. Watts won congressional seats after their playing careers. The 2026 results show that the pathway from sports to Congress remains active across both parties.
For Americans following the midterm results, the victories of Allred, Teixeira and Turek determine which party controls key seats in Congress. Readers tracking these races can use official state election results to confirm the final certified totals.
The takeaway
Former athletes continue to carry their public profiles into politics, and their performance at the ballot box offers a clear view of how sports fame translates into electoral outcomes.
Further reading
Explore more Football coverage for context on former players in the sport.
Source note: This article includes information reported by USA Today.
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