Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) became emotional Monday night at the Democratic National Convention as she shared a touching story about her experience with Vice President Kamala Harris during her early days in Congress. Reflecting on her uncertain start, Crockett recalled, “When I first arrived in Congress, I wasn’t sure I had made the right choice.” The environment was chaotic, with no Speaker elected and a turbulent Oversight Committee. Amid this turmoil, Crockett visited the vice president’s residence for the first time.
As she approached Harris for an official photo, the vice president immediately sensed something was wrong. Despite never having met before, Harris saw through Crockett’s composure and recognized her distress. “I broke down in tears,” Crockett recounted. “And the most powerful woman in the world wiped my tears and listened to me.” Harris then offered words of encouragement, telling her, “You are exactly where God wants you to be. Your district chose you because they believe in you, and so do I.”
Crockett, a first-term representative from Texas’ 30th Congressional District, described how, as she gained confidence in Congress by taking on Republicans and giving them a “dose of their own medicine,” she found her footing.
During her speech at the Democratic National Convention, Crockett also criticized former President Donald Trump, contrasting his record with Harris’ career as a prosecutor and former California attorney general. “One candidate worked at McDonald’s while in college at an HBCU. The other was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and helped his daddy in the family business: housing discrimination,” Crockett said, drawing laughter from the audience. “Kamala Harris has a résumé. Donald Trump has a rap sheet.”
She highlighted Harris’ achievements, including her efforts to reduce criminal recidivism and her mandate for police officers to wear body cameras, noting that Harris was “the kind of prosecutor we longed for.” Crockett also shared how Harris had cared for her during their first meeting, just after Crockett was elected to Congress.
Reflecting on her viral moments, Crockett subtly referenced her famous confrontation with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, where she responded to Greene’s mockery of her appearance during a committee hearing. “The question before us is, will a vindictive, vile villain violate voters’ vision for a better America or not?” Crockett said, smiling as the crowd burst into laughter.
Crockett’s speech was part of a larger program at the convention, where other prominent Texans like Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Democratic abortion rights activist Amanda Zurawski also spoke. Hidalgo praised Harris for her leadership on climate policy and her efforts to help Texas recover from Hurricane Beryl, while Zurawski, who sued Texas over its restrictive abortion laws, shared her heartbreaking story to advocate for abortion access.
The night featured speeches from some of the biggest names in the Democratic Party, including President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jim Clyburn. Hillary Clinton highlighted Harris as a continuation of her own efforts as the first woman nominated by a major American party, while Harris made a surprise appearance, thanking Biden for his historic leadership and for passing the torch to the next generation.
