A far‑left firebrand just jumped into the Texas Senate race, and Democrats are betting a polarizing Trump critic can turn the state blue in 2026.
Story Snapshot
- Rep. Jasmine Crockett has filed to run in the Texas Democrat Senate primary after Colin Allred abruptly exited the race.
- Her entry sets up a hard‑left primary against state Rep. James Talarico, fueled by big money and activist energy.
- Democrats openly frame the race as a crusade against President Trump and conservative leaders like Ken Paxton and John Cornyn.
- Both parties expect one of the most expensive Senate races in history, with estimates reaching $750 million.
Crockett Jumps In As Democrats Rebuild Their 2026 Strategy
Rep. Jasmine Crockett filed paperwork to run in the Texas Democrat primary for U.S. Senate, just hours before the state’s filing deadline and ahead of a planned news conference announcing her bid.
Her move came the same day former Rep. Colin Allred abandoned his Senate run and instead filed to compete in the newly drawn 33rd Congressional District in Dallas County, reshaping Democrat plans and exposing how volatile their bench has become in Texas statewide politics.
Allred justified his exit by warning that a bruising Democrat Senate primary and runoff would leave his party divided heading into what he called a critical election against Donald Trump and top Texas Republicans.
He painted Trump and GOP contenders Ken Paxton, John Cornyn, and Wesley Hunt as “bootlickers” threatening communities and the Constitution, language that reflects how national Democrats plan to nationalize the Texas race. His pivot back to the House underscores Democrats’ concern about unity more than confidence in their statewide strength.
NEW: @JasmineForUS jumps into Texas Democratic U.S. Senate primary as @ColinAllredTX drops out https://t.co/x7j4bbhvxc
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) December 8, 2025
A Polarizing Progressive Facing A Divided Democrat Field
In the March 3 primary, Crockett will face state Rep. James Talarico of Austin, whose Senate campaign already generated national headlines and raised a record $6.2 million in its first three weeks.
Talarico claims to be building a movement against “billionaire mega‑donors and puppet politicians,” signaling that Democrats intend to run a class‑warfare, activist‑driven campaign.
Crockett has told CBS News Texas that she only jumped in because internal polling suggested she could win a general election, though those numbers have not been made public.
Crockett framed her decision as part of a broader national fight, saying the race is “bigger than my district” and even “bigger than the state of Texas” because changing the Senate map is how Democrats “start to get wins.”
She openly admitted she is not counting on Republican crossover votes, arguing instead that Democrats must add new, low‑propensity voters to the electorate, similar to the turnout surges seen under Trump and Obama.
That strategy signals a push to mobilize progressive urban bases rather than appeal to traditional Texas moderates.
Democrats Bet On Anti‑Trump Energy While Republicans See Opportunity
Crockett has already built a national profile by clashing with President Trump, and Democrat strategists acknowledge that her combative style could energize both parties.
Matt Angle of the Lone Star Project argued that her challenge will be increasing Democrat turnout without simultaneously motivating Republicans who strongly oppose her agenda.
He conceded that Republicans might rally against her but insisted GOP voters are already “profoundly disappointed” with their own leadership, signaling Democrats hope to exploit internal Republican tensions.
Republican consultant Vinny Minchillo offered a starkly different assessment, calling Crockett “too extreme and too far left for even Texas Democrats” and predicting she cannot win a statewide general election.
He described her as a polarizing figure who is “fun to watch” when she goes “crazy on the news,” but argued that such theatrics backfire with swing voters. In his view, Crockett’s nomination would actually help turn out conservatives who are uncomfortable with her brand of activist politics and see her as out of step with Texas values.
High‑Stakes GOP Primary And A $750 Million Showdown Looming
On the Republican side, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt are locked in a closely watched battle for the GOP nomination, with Paxton’s campaign mocking Crockett as “Crazy Crockett” while accusing Cornyn of spending tens of millions and still lagging in third.
Minchillo expects the Republican primary to head to a runoff, describing a nasty contest in which Cornyn has aggressively attacked Paxton and opened a “second front” against Hunt, whom he doubts can overtake either rival without massive new funding.
Minchillo predicts that, between all the candidates, their campaigns, and third‑party groups on both sides, the Senate race could cost at least $750 million across the primary, runoff, and general election phases.
That staggering figure highlights how national Democrats view Texas as their best chance in decades to flip a statewide seat. At the same time, Republicans see the contest as a critical firewall against a Senate controlled by the left.
For conservative voters, the race will test whether Texas remains a bulwark for constitutional, pro‑family, and pro‑liberty values in the Trump era.
