The Texas political landscape was jolted this December as Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat from Dallas, officially announced her bid for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Senator John Cornyn. Her entrance into the race, unveiled before hundreds of enthusiastic supporters in South Dallas on December 9, 2025, has sparked a cascade of reactions, internal party debates, and a flurry of political maneuvering on both sides of the aisle.
Crockett’s campaign launch was anything but subdued. With passionate conviction, she told the crowd, “The more I saw the poll results, I couldn't ignore the trends, which were clear both as it relates to the primary as well as the general election. I could have played it safe and continued serving in the United States House of Representatives for as long as my constituents would have me. But I don't choose to do that because Texas, this moment we're in now, is life or death. It's all or nothing. It's now or never.” Her message was clear: she believes the stakes for Texas are higher than ever, and she’s ready to fight for every vote.
Yet, even as Crockett’s supporters cheered, skepticism quickly surfaced within her own party. According to Axios, several anonymous House Democrats voiced concerns about her ability to win a general election in a state that has consistently favored Republicans in statewide races. One senior House Democrat bluntly remarked, “She might win a primary, but she ain't winning a general in Texas.” Another worried about the effect her candidacy might have on swing districts, calling it “a bad decision.”
Crockett, however, was undeterred by the doubters. In a statement to Axios, she pushed back, saying, “It's hard to get a clear picture of who the Texans are from the fog of Washington. My message is one that reaches people who are often ignored by the political class. I'm not running a campaign focused on insider politics. ... I'm focused on reaching all 30 million Texans and earning their trust.” She has also made it clear that her campaign isn’t about converting Trump supporters, stating, “Yeah, I don’t know that we’ll necessarily convert all of Trump’s supporters. That’s not our goal.” Instead, she aims to connect with Texans who have historically felt disengaged from the political process.
The Democratic primary is shaping up to be a contest between Crockett and State Representative James Talarico of Austin. A Texas Southern University poll conducted immediately after Crockett’s campaign launch showed her leading Talarico 51% to 43% among Democratic voters—a promising sign for her campaign, though the general election presents a much steeper climb. The winner of the Democratic primary will face the victor of a hotly contested Republican primary, featuring incumbent Senator Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Congressman Wesley Hunt. As of early December, Paxton led the GOP field with 32%, followed by Cornyn at 27% and Hunt at 23%, according to Decision Desk HQ.
While Crockett’s bold entrance energized many Democrats, it also set off a chain reaction in Texas politics. Former Dallas Congressman Colin Allred, who had previously run for Senate, dropped out of the race hours before Crockett’s official announcement and before the state’s filing deadline. Allred instead joined the Democratic primary for the newly drawn 33rd Congressional District, a move that prompted further reshuffling among North Texas Democrats. Crockett’s own seat in the 30th Congressional District is now open, with several local figures vying to succeed her.
Republicans, meanwhile, have greeted Crockett’s candidacy with a mix of derision and enthusiasm. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, never one to mince words, declared, “Jasmine Crockett is the gift that keeps on giving. She will turn out the Republican vote at a higher level than any Democrat to ever run for office in the history of Texas. Every Republican will come out wherever they are next November to vote against Jasmine Crockett.” Cornyn’s campaign was equally dismissive, issuing a statement that accused Crockett of being “radical, theatrical, and ineffective.”
Inside the Democratic Party, the debate over Crockett’s viability has grown more pointed. On the ‘Politics War Room’ podcast, veteran Democratic strategist James Carville took direct aim at Crockett’s campaign style. “First of all, it seems like she’s well-educated. It seems like she’s got a lot of energy. But she, to me, she violates the first rule of politics,” Carville said. “And that is, in politics, you always make it about the voters and never about yourself.” He warned that media attention and online engagement are poor substitutes for persuading undecided voters, adding, “You can get all the hits. You can get all the clicks. You can get on all of the TV shows. But you’re not helping very much.”
Carville also criticized the Democratic Party for repeatedly choosing candidates whose positions or messaging alienate swing voters. He cited Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District as an example, quipping that Democrats seemed to have “gone into a lab to design the worst candidate that we could possibly run in Tennessee 7.” Returning to Crockett, he said, “Winning elections is being part of framing issues and understanding where people are coming from. And I don’t think Congresswoman Crockett is very good at that. I’ll be very frank.”
Not all Democrats share Carville’s bleak assessment. Progressive voices in the House, such as Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont and Rep. Al Green of Texas, have praised Crockett’s communication skills and her ability to connect with voters. “Crockett is an extremely talented messenger and has engaged millions of Americans across the country,” Balint told Axios. Green added, “I believe that she can win.”
For her part, Crockett has leaned into her outsider image and her willingness to challenge the status quo. She has repeatedly emphasized her record of standing up to former President Donald Trump and has not shied away from criticizing Senator Cornyn for his alignment with Trump, despite previously opposing him. “He used to speak out against Trump, the candidate, and denounced the border wall. What happened, Big John? Because now all you're doing is bending the knee, kissing the ring and running ads about how you vote 99% of the time with Trump. Well, John, I kept telling you, you had a 1% problem,” she said during her launch event.
Amid the drama and political jockeying, the Texas Democratic Party has tried to put a positive spin on the flurry of activity. The party’s chairman told CBS News Texas, “Primaries are the sign of a healthy party. If we didn't have a party that was competitive in Texas, you wouldn't have primaries up and down the ballot. And so, to me, I think that it is something that's probably going to end up being par for the course for the Democrats as we get more and more competitive in Texas. It's an embarrassment of riches. We just have a lot of really great talent that's lining up to serve their communities, and I'm really excited to see who the people of Texas choose to be our nominees.”
Whether Crockett’s “Texas Tough” campaign can overcome the state’s deeply entrenched Republican leanings remains to be seen. Her candidacy has already upended the Democratic field, energized her base, and drawn sharp criticism from both parties. As the primary season heats up, all eyes will be on Texas to see if Crockett’s gamble pays off—or if, as some skeptics predict, she proves to be the “gift” Republicans have been waiting for.
