Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas formally entered the 2026 U.S. Senate race on Monday, joining state Rep. James Talarico in a high‑profile Democratic primary for the seat held by Republican Sen. John Cornyn. Her announcement came the same day former Rep. Colin Allred ended his Senate bid and said he would run for a newly redrawn House district instead, reshaping the contest in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate battles.
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a first‑term Democrat from Dallas, announced her run for the U.S. Senate on December 8, 2025, with the goal of unseating Republican Sen. John Cornyn in 2026. The filing deadline in Texas fell the same day, and Crockett had submitted paperwork earlier Monday to enter the March 2026 Democratic primary, according to reporting from the Daily Wire and other outlets.
Crockett, 44, is known as a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and has built a national profile through combative exchanges in Congress and frequent media appearances. The Daily Wire describes her as a party "firebrand" and notes that she served as a key surrogate for Democrats during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Her entry adds new volatility to the Democratic field. Crockett joins state Rep. James Talarico, a progressive lawmaker from Austin who has drawn attention for his opposition to Republican policies and for rapid grassroots fundraising. Axios and other outlets have reported that Talarico has raised more than $6 million since entering the Senate race, giving him an early financial edge.
Former Rep. Colin Allred, who was the Democratic nominee against Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024, exited the Senate contest earlier on December 8. Allred had launched a bid for the same Senate seat now held by Cornyn but said in a statement that he would instead run for the newly redrawn 33rd Congressional District in the Dallas area. The Washington Post reports that Allred warned that “a bruising Senate Democratic primary and runoff would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers,” a reference to Republicans including Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt.
Allred’s decision to seek the 33rd District sets up a likely clash with Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson, who currently represents another Dallas‑area seat but is also running in the redrawn district, according to local reporting cited by Politico and other outlets. The new map, blessed for now by the U.S. Supreme Court, has shifted district lines in ways widely seen as favorable to Republicans.
On her campaign website and in prepared remarks highlighted by Politico, Crockett framed her Senate run as a challenge to long‑entrenched leadership in Texas. She argued that the state has sent senators to Washington who defend “politics as usual” while ordinary Texans struggle with rising costs, access to health care and public safety concerns. Crockett said she is running to be an "independent voice" for Texans rather than, in her words, a "rubber stamp" for Trump‑aligned Republicans.
Crockett’s launch video and online messaging have leaned into her public clashes with Trump, including his past attacks on her intellect and appearance, which have circulated widely on social media. According to the Daily Wire, her campaign materials highlight those insults to underscore what she casts as Trump’s disrespect for women and communities of color.
The congresswoman arrives in the race with a strong fundraising base and national name recognition, though public reports differ on specific dollar amounts. The Associated Press and other outlets note that she has proved capable of drawing substantial small‑dollar online support, while also pointing out that Talarico currently leads the Democratic field in cash raised.
Crockett’s unapologetically confrontational style has energized some Democrats and alarmed Republicans. The Daily Wire and other conservative outlets have compiled examples of her sharp rhetoric, which supporters say reflects a willingness to fight for her constituents. Republicans, however, have seized on those moments to portray her as too extreme for a general‑election electorate in Texas.
Local Democratic leaders have been divided in their early reactions. Some party officials cited by national and Texas‑based outlets argue that Crockett’s candidacy could help mobilize Black and Latino voters and younger progressives in urban areas. Others warn privately that a high‑profile intraparty battle between Crockett and Talarico could drain resources heading into a general election in a state that has not elected a Democrat statewide since 1994.
Talarico, in a statement shared with multiple news organizations and first reported by the Daily Wire, struck a conciliatory tone upon Crockett’s entrance. “Our movement is rooted in unity over division – so we welcome Congresswoman Crockett into this race,” he said, while emphasizing his own grassroots‑focused campaign.
On the Republican side, Cornyn is seeking another term but faces a primary challenge from Paxton and Hunt, both close allies of Trump. The Washington Post reports that national Republicans expect a contentious GOP primary, with Trump yet to endorse a candidate. Cornyn and his allies have already begun framing Crockett and Talarico as too liberal for Texas, arguing that Democrats in Washington are out of step with the state’s conservative electorate.
Despite Texas’ long‑standing Republican tilt, both parties see the 2026 race as significant. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to retake control of the Senate, according to analyses from Politico and other outlets, and view Texas as a potential, though difficult, pickup opportunity. The Daily Wire notes that the nonpartisan Cook Political Report currently rates the Texas Senate contest as “Likely Republican,” reflecting former President Trump’s comfortable margin in the 2024 presidential race and the GOP’s continued structural advantages in the state.
How Crockett and Talarico navigate their primary — and how bruising the Republican contest becomes — is expected to shape whether Texas emerges as a true battleground in 2026 or remains an uphill climb for Democrats.
