Democrat Rep. Colin Allred of Texas is getting pushback from the progressive flank of his party for his most recent attack ad against Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in which he says he doesn’t want “boys playing girls’ sports.” The Allred ad debuted days before he’s set to take the stage Tuesday night in a debate against his Republican opponent in next month’s Senate election.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest LGBTQ lobbying group in the country, endorsed Allred this year. But they’re expecting Allred to explain his comments. 

“Texans have, for too many years, been subjected to Ted Cruz’s hate and lies. They are ready to turn the page,” HRC spokesperson Brandon Wolf told LGBTQ media outlet The Advocate.

“Congressman Allred needs to explain his comments in this ad. They simply don’t square with what we know about his record. For years, he has supported our community and worked to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination. Texans deserve to finally have a leader who values equality and freedom.”

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Allred, who is now running for Senate, released the ad in response to recent attacks by Cruz, who has tried to link Allred to support for transgender inclusion in women’s and girls’ sports. 

“I’m a dad, I’m also a Christian, and my faith has taught me that all kids are God’s kids. So let me be clear, I don’t want boys playing girls’ sports or any of this ridiculous stuff Ted Cruz is saying,” Allred said in the ad. 

His statement also drew the ire of other trans activists, including transgender journalist Erin Reed. 

“Allred’s response is significant. He’s the first major Democratic candidate to acquiesce to anti-trans messaging,” Reed wrote on X. “His decision to respond this way may be short sighted.”

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A new ad paid for by Cruz’s campaign aired during NFL games in Texas this month and claimed that Allred wanted an “extreme liberal vision for America” for wanting to allow “boys in girls’ sports.” Cruz is reportedly set to run another ad this Sunday, the third addressing the subject.

Allred is a former NFL linebacker who played for the Tennessee Titans from 2006 to 2010 after a college career at Baylor. He announced his Senate campaign to challenge Cruz in May 2023 and then won his party’s nomination in early March this year. 

In October 2021, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law restricting transgender student athletes from playing on sports teams that align with their gender identity.

Texas is one of 23 states with laws in place to prevent transgender inclusion in women’s sports. Allred has been an opponent of those efforts dating back to the first year of his congressional career. As recently as June 2023, he co-sponsored a law that “would force public schools to allow biologically male athletes who identify as transgender on girls’ sports teams.”

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Allred posted on X, “Texas should be a place where our young people can be who they are, free from discrimination. This is yet another dark, shameful moment for our state as the GOP in Texas is more focused on attacking trans students than fixing the real problems we face.”

Allred also advocated for a Transgender Bill of Rights, co-sponsoring a resolution in March 2023 “Recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights.” The resolution called for federal law to ensure that biological men can “participate in sports on teams and in programs that best align with their gender identity; [and] use school facilities that best align with their gender identity.”

Additionally, Allred supported efforts that would limit parents’ rights regarding transgender athletes. He voted against the Parents Bill of Rights Act, which required school districts to alert parents if their child was sharing a bathroom, locker room or sports team with a student of the opposite biological sex.

Cruz and Allred are scheduled to have their first and only debate Tuesday evening. Cruz has held his Senate seat for the last 12 years.

Fox News Digital reached out to Allred’s campaign for comment but received no response by the publication deadline. 

Fox News Digital’s Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.