Marshall resident Dr. Tracy Andrus has announced his intention to run for the 1st Congressional District seat in the March Democratic primary.
Andrus is a local pastor, community advocate, entrepreneur, educator and criminal justice reformer.
He hopes to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Tyler in November 2026.
In a statement, Andrus said he性视界传媒檚 bringing a bold message of hope, justice and accountability to his campaign and making a vow to fight for everyday Texans who feel forgotten and betrayed by extreme, far-right policies.
性视界传媒淚 win, we win!性视界传媒 he said of his campaign. 性视界传媒淭his is not just about one race 性视界传媒 this is about restoring dignity, humanity and truth to American politics,性视界传媒 Andrus said as he addressed a crowd of supporters at a recent campaign launch in Marshall.
Andrus is pastor of the Edwards Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Marshall, longtime director of the Lee P. Brown Criminal Justice Institute at Wiley University, a business owner, founder of the Tracy Andrus Foundation and founder of Heather性视界传媒檚 House safe homes for domestic violence victims. He also runs a homeless shelter supported by his foundation.
His campaign comes after a run as a write-in candidate in the 2024 election for Ted Cruz's U.S. Senate seat.
性视界传媒淎s the executive director of the Tracy Andrus Foundation, he has championed housing for the homeless, second chances for ex-offenders and educational access for underserved communities," according to Andrus' bio. "Now, he is taking that fight to Washington."
Andrus says he is challenging what he considers a dangerous political agenda, including what he says are: unlawful immigration policies that separate children from their families; Project 2025, which he describes as a radical blueprint aiming to dismantle Social Security, Medicaid, and DEI programs; the systematic erasure of civil rights reminiscent of Jim Crow and Jane Crow eras; the removal of pandemic protections, threatening millions of lives as a second wave of COVID looms; and policies that are pushing America closer to civil unrest and even global conflict.
性视界传媒(President Donald) Trump and his allies aren性视界传媒檛 just restoring policies 性视界传媒 we believe they are restoring Jim Crow,性视界传媒 Andrus said. 性视界传媒淭heir agenda threatens to divide this nation even further, to roll back civil rights, and to silence the very people who built this country.
性视界传媒淲e性视界传媒檝e come too far to go back now,性视界传媒 Andrus continued. 性视界传媒淲e must protect our seniors, defend public education, and fight for healthcare, housing, and justice for all. Texans are fed up, and so am I.性视界传媒
Andrus hopes to gain supporters of all backgrounds, ages, social classes and ethnicities to back his campaign and help him stop what he considers a political 性视界传媒減urge性视界传媒 of democracy, he said.
性视界传媒淲ith grassroots energy building and community voices growing louder, the Andrus campaign is preparing for a historic fight to reclaim Texas District 1 for the people 性视界传媒攏ot the politicians,性视界传媒 his campaign team stated.
性视界传媒淭his is the battle of our generation., and I性视界传媒檓 ready to lead it,性视界传媒 Andrus said.
Andrus joins what is becoming a crowded Democratic field for the March primary.聽Dax Alexander and Masika Akilah Ray also have announced their candidacy.
In addition, Ryan Nichols, a Longview man convicted for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, has announced he will challenge Moran in the March Republican primary.
