Early Polls Signal Crockett as the Democrat to Watch in 2026 Texas Senate Primary

Just days after entering the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, is showing strong early support among likely voters, according to a new poll from Texas Southern University’s Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center, reported by KXAN News.

Surveying 1,600 likely Democratic primary voters from Dec. 9–11, the poll finds Crockett leading State Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock, 51% to 43%, with a margin of error of 2.45%.

Crockett’s strongest support comes from women, Black voters, and those over 55, while Talarico performs best among young voters, men, Latino voters, and white voters. Name recognition appears to favor Crockett: just 6% of voters said they didn’t know enough about her, compared with 21% for Talarico.

“While many voters are still learning about James, he starts out very competitive. Polling consistently shows that the more people get to know James, the more they support him,” Talarico campaign spokesperson JT Ennis told Newsweek in a Friday email.

The primary is set for March 3, giving both candidates less than three months to solidify support.