Former Space Station Commander Joins Texas Senate Race

This U.S. Senate race is about to be out of this world as an Air Force veteran and former astronaut has announced that he is officially throwing his hat in the ring.

Terry Virts for U.S. Senate

Former astronaut and International Space Station (ISS) commander Terry Virts, a Democrat, is officially running for Republican John Cornyn's seat in the U.S. Senate.

Read More: Why is Texas' Voting History so Weird?

Virts, 57, released his formal run for office in an X video where he made a point to say that he is not the same as the current democratic leadership and that he's the change the party needs for Texas.

Take a listen for yourself:

Public Response from Virts' Announcement

Virts continued by calling himself a "common-sense Democrat," and The party could benefit from his leadership experience and life challenges from his time in the Air Force to his 3,400 orbits around Earth as an astronaut.

Comments under Virts' campaign video seemed to be mostly negative, agreeing that the Democratic Party needs a change, but that he is not the man they need. Comments also gravitate towards the notion that "common sense" and "Democrat" do not fit together.

This may be the plague of Democrats running for office in red Texas, or it's just social media being, well, social media.

Challenging Alleged Corruption in Texas

In his campaign video, Virts stated that the current administration is dishonest, and he said that President Trump's chaos must be stopped. He also takes shots at Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is also running for the Senate seat, by calling him "corrupt" and reminding voters of his history with impeachment.

Although not formally announced, some potential Democrats who may run for Senate as well include Colin Allred, Beto O'Rourke, Joaquin Castro, and James Talarico, according to the Texas Tribune.