State Rep. James Talarico has won the Texas Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, according to a projection from The Associated Press, putting a moderate newcomer on the November ballot as the party looks to flip the seat.
The former public school teacher beat U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett to secure the nomination. It’s unclear who Talarico’s GOP foe will be as neither Sen. John Cornyn nor Attorney General Ken Paxton secured 50% of the vote and are headed to a May 26 runoff.
The once little-known state representative’s national profile has skyrocketed in recent months, with many viewing the 36-year-old as a rising star within the Democratic Party.
The same could be said of Crockett, an unapologetic progressive and former public defender, who has only been in Congress since 2023 but has made a name for herself on the national stage, partly due to her fiery exchanges with Republicans on the House Oversight Committee.
Talarico won following confusion about polling places in Dallas County. Some voters were turned away after the parties couldn’t agree to countywide polling places, a move Crockett called “voter suppression.” But the Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocked an emergency petition that extended voting hours in Dallas County.
In the closing days of the primary, Crockett scored a major endorsement from former Vice President Kamala Harris. “Texas has the chance to send a fighter like Jasmine Crockett to the United States Senate,” Harris said in a phone message sent to Texas Democrats Friday. “Jasmine has the experience and record to hold Donald Trump and his billionaire cronies accountable.”
While Talarico did not secure any similar high-profile endorsements, former President Barack Obama called the former school teacher “a really talented young man” during a podcast interview in October.
Despite a low profile, the Texas state representative has raised more than $20 million since declaring his candidacy in September, more than doubling the amount Crockett’s campaign has raised since she entered the race in December.
Earlier this month, Talarico received an influx of more than $2 million in donations following controversy around his appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” after the comedian and host told his audience the Democrat’s appearance was blocked by the Federal Communications Commission.
As “The Weekend” co-host Eugene Daniels noted in a recent column for MS NOW, Democrats have viewed the Texas primary as a test to see which anti-Trump message resonates best with voters.
While Crockett has preferred to fight fire with fire, Talarico has taken a much more measured approach to oppose Donald Trump.
Tuesday’s results come as Democrats seek to capitalize on their recent election momentum, hoping to flip the traditionally red seat and gain control of the Senate in November.
Despite the fact that Trump won Texas by 14 points in 2024, and Democrats have not won a statewide office in more than 30 years, polls show Democrats could prove to be competitive in the midterms.
Allison Detzel is an editor/producer for MS NOW. She was previously a segment producer for “AYMAN” and “The Mehdi Hasan Show.”