U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s decision to enter the Texas U.S. Senate race on Monday immediately reshaped the Democratic primary, adding a high-profile contender with strong fundraising, statewide name recognition, and the “Texas Tough” message she introduced at her launch event.
Crockett said the moment demands “a bigger voice” and argued she is positioned to build a broad coalition while taking on both rising costs and President Donald Trump.
Her entry complicates the path for fellow Democrat James Talarico, who has been running for months and quickly responded on X.
In a video message, he welcomed Crockett to the race and highlighted his campaign’s momentum, pointing to strong grassroots fundraising and a volunteer network he said has grown to 10,000 people.
“We will make the case for why we are best positioned to win this race — but we will always treat Congresswoman Crockett with the utmost respect. She is my colleague and a leader in our state.”
He ended his post with a succinct rallying call: “Now is the time. Let’s go win this thing.”
With two well-known Democrats now competing and Republicans signaling they are eager to define the field early, the March 3 primary is set to become one of the cycle’s most closely watched contests.
