Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett officially launched her bid for the U.S. Senate on Monday, delivering a fiery message to supporters just days before the state’s filing deadline: Texas isn’t permanently red, it just hasn’t seen her strategy yet.
Speaking to a crowd of supporters, Crockett framed the path to a Democratic victory in the Lone Star State not as a miracle, but as a grinding effort of grassroots engagement. She pushed back against the prevailing narrative that the state is out of reach for her party.
“Texas turns blue. It won’t be because of any one candidate, but because of each and every one of you doing your part,” Crockett told the crowd. Acknowledging the skepticism surrounding Democratic chances in the state, she added, “Now, there are those that say ‘Ain’t no way, we done tried it 50 kinds of ways.’”
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Her rebuttal was personal.
“Let me be clear, y’all ain’t never tried it the JC way,” Crockett declared. “We used to [people] telling us what I can’t do. But they have no idea what Crockett’s crew will do. And so I just want to be clear for all the haters in the back… Listen up real loud. We’re going to get this thing done. So they tell us that Texas is red. They are lying.”
Crockett’s entry into the race comes after months of speculation. She had previously stated she would only run if internal polling suggested a viable path to victory. Her announcement was timed closely with a significant shift in the primary field: Democratic candidate Colin Allred suspended his Senate campaign Monday morning.
READ: Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett Hit With Lien On Luxury Dallas Condo Amid Senate Buzz
Allred’s decision to pivot toward a House race in the Dallas area effectively prevents a primary clash between two prominent Black Democrats from Dallas, which would have split a key bloc of minority voters. However, Crockett does not have a completely clear path to the nomination; she faces a competitive primary challenge from state legislator James Talarico, considered by many strategists to be a rising star within the party.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face a steep uphill climb in the general election. Historical data highlights the challenge of flipping Texas. No Democratic presidential nominee has carried the state since Jimmy Carter in 1976—a drought spanning nearly five decades.
Most recently, President Donald Trump secured the state decisively in the 2024 election, garnering 6,393,597 votes (56.14% of the total) and defeating former Vice President Kamala Harris by a margin of roughly 1.56 million votes.
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