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International Space Station (ISS) crew member Terry Virts of the U.S. speaks by satellite phone shortly after landing near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on June 11, 2015.
EXCLUSIVE: Democratic astronaut explores Texas Senate launch
In the latest sign that Democrats are turning a new leaf after their dismal 2024 defeat, astronaut and political neophyte Terry Virts is planning to launch a run for the US Senate in Texas, GZERO Media has learned. He plans to challenge incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican, according to a Democratic operative familiar with the race. Virts’ pending announcement comes as former Rep. Colin Allred, a fellow Democrat, is reportedly planning another Senate bid, just six months after his eight-point loss to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.
The latest internal battle. Whether it’s young versus old, or pro-fight versus pro-fold, the Democratic Party is undergoing an identity crisis following US President Donald Trump’s resurgent victory in November. If Virts indeed runs, it will likely set up a primary with Allred, in what would be another battle between the old guard and the upstarts.
Virts didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment from GZERO Media.
Who is Virts? Born in Baltimore, the 57-year-old astronaut first learned how to fly at the Air Force Academy in Colorado, graduating in 1989. He served for another decade in the US military, where he flew F-16s, before joining NASA in 2000 – the Johnson Space Center is based in Houston, creating his Texas links. He retired 16 years later. Over the last decade, Virts has been more of a talking head, setting up a podcast that ran for two years and even appearing on the Joe Rogan Experience in 2020 – take that, Kamala Harris. He’s now built a solid social media following.
Houston, the Eagle has landed. Winning Texas has been something of a moonshot in recent years for Democrats, but they’ll be hoping that Virts can provide the launchpad for victory. Mike Doyle, the chair of the Democratic Party for the Houston area, believes that Democratic failings in the former “blue wall” states make it vital for the party to flip Texas if it hopes to win back power.
Republicans have their own quandary. Cornyn faces a primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who only narrowly escaped impeachment in 2023 over alleged corruption and bribery. Despite the charges, Doyle expects Paxton to pull through against Cornyn, who defied the party base in 2022 when he successfully negotiated the first major piece of gun-control legislation in 30 years.
“[Paxton] is a crooked, nasty dude, but he wins elections on the Republican side,” said Doyle.
A ray of hope? For all the backlash against Trump’s policies, 2026 is setting up to be a difficult year for Senate Democrats. Three incumbents in swing districts have already retired, and – outside of Maine – the opportunities for a flip look scant. If Virts runs, he remains a longshot, but the success of Sen. Mark Kelly – another former astronaut – in formerly conservative-leaning Arizona suggests Democrats can defy gravity in the Lone Star State.
How to Stay Motivated in Outer Space: Work in 60 Seconds
When you're in outer space, how do you stay motivated, when it's so lonely and pretty stressful too?
It's actually all about the mission. It sounds a little stereotypical to say that but the work is so important and there just isn't a do over. I mean, if you mess something up and you have to do it over, often you can do that. But there's just - you could be doing other really useful things. In the case of something like capturing a 16-ton supply ship with the robotic arm, there really isn't a do over and I find it's the mission but it's also kind of just saying, you know, "I have done everything I can to be ready." If you've done your best. No one can ask anything more than that. So you're ready.
Do you apply that to your work life now here on the ground?
I do that, you know, but often I'm like, I will say an example of TED here, I was a little worried about giving a talk and forgetting, or not saying everything I meant to say, and that was all wrapped up in me and then I went to the first night of talks here and I realized that everyone's here because they have something to say and people are here to listen. And that was the important mission, as opposed to me worrying about how I felt about it, and that got me through.
And go deeper on topics like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence at Microsoft on The Issues.