2026 midterm elections: Did these sports figures win or lose? - USA Today
The 2026 midterm elections saw several former sports figures step into the political arena, with some achieving notable victories while others fell short of their goals.
Former NFL player Colin Allred, a Democrat who played four seasons with the Tennessee Titans before a neck injury in 2010 ended his football career, went on to earn a law degree and enter public service. In Texas, Allred secured a resounding victory, winning re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives by defeating Republican Patrick Gillespie.
Joining Allred in the House is former MLB player Mark Teixeira, a Republican, who will succeed Rep. Chip Roy after narrowly defeating Democrat Kristin Hook in a closely contested race. Teixeira had a 14-year MLB career, playing for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees, and winning a World Series with the Yankees in 2009.
Another high-profile race went to an athlete as well: four-time Paralympian and two-time gold medalist in wheelchair basketball, Josh Turek, flipped an Iowa U.S. Senate seat by defeating Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson.
In Alabama, former college football coach Tommy Tuberville, whose 21-year head coaching career included stints at Auburn University, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, and the University of Cincinnati, won the governor’s race, defeating Democratic civil rights lawyer Doug Jones.
In California, former NFL punter and Democrat Chris Kluwe is running for a seat in the California State Assembly against Republican Gracey Van Der Mark, but the race has not been called yet. Kluwe spent eight seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before being released in 2013. After his football career, he coached high school football and later transitioned into politics after being arrested while protesting a city council meeting, launching his campaign in 2025.
Not all athlete-turned-candidates were victorious. Former broadcast journalist and NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, a Republican, lost her Minnesota Senate bid to Democrat Peggy Flanagan.
Former kicker Jay Feely, who played on six different NFL teams, ran as a Republican for Arizona’s 1st congressional district against Democrat Amish Shah. Feely trails as of 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, but that race hasn't been officially called yet.
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