James Talarico wins Texas Democratic primary for US Senate seat
State Rep. James Talarico won the Texas Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett with a faith-based populist message. The contentious race was marked by record turnout, massive Super PAC spending, and racial tensions. Voting in Dallas County was disrupted by GOP-backed rule changes, prompting legal challenges. Talarico now faces a Republican opponent emerging from a runoff between Sen. John Cornyn and Ken Paxton.
Talarico primary victory
▪Talarico, a 36-year-old state representative, defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the primary.
▪A Democrat has not won a statewide election in Texas in over 30 years, with the last U.S. Senate victory in 1988.
▪James Talarico won the Texas Democratic primary for a U.S. Senate seat on March 3, 2026.
▪The Republican primary for the same Senate seat is headed to a May runoff between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton.
▪Jasmine Crockett conceded on the morning of March 4, 2026, and called for party unity.
▪The primary drove over 1.5 million voters to the polls during early voting, more than double the turnout in the 2022 midterm primary.
Populist faith-based messaging
▪Talarico pitched a "politics of love" and argued the central political divide is not "left v right" but "top v bottom."
▪Talarico's campaign raised $1 million in the first 12 hours after its launch, primarily from small-dollar individual donations.
▪Talarico campaigned on a populist, "top-versus-bottom" message rooted in his Christian faith.
Dallas County voting disruption
▪A judge's order to extend voting hours in Dallas and Williamson counties was challenged by Attorney General Ken Paxton.
▪The Texas Supreme Court ordered that ballots cast after the original 7 p.m. closing time be segregated, creating uncertainty about their inclusion.
▪Jasmine Crockett stated her campaign planned to file a lawsuit over the voting issues, alleging voter disenfranchisement.
▪Voting in Dallas County was disrupted by confusion over a rule change, pushed by the local Republican party, regarding polling locations.
Race identity politics tensions
▪A TikTok creator accused Talarico of calling former Democratic Senate nominee Colin Allred a "mediocre Black man," an allegation Talarico denied.
▪The primary was marked by tensions over race and identity, with Crockett describing concerns about her electability as "racist dog whistles."
Super PAC spending
▪A pro-Talarico super PAC, Lone Star Rising PAC, spent $7.7 million, while a pro-Crockett super PAC spent less than $500,000.
▪Talarico's campaign spent $15.3 million on ads, compared to Crockett's $4.3 million.
Republican interference tactics
▪A conservative group, American Sovereignty, funded a text message campaign highlighting Crockett's opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
▪Republicans indicated a preference to run against Crockett, with Sen. John Cornyn calling her candidacy a "gift."
▪A super PAC connected to Senate GOP leadership called Talarico a "far-left liberal" who is "wildly out of step with Lone Star voters."
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