Jasmine Crockett Claims Lead Over James Talarico in Texas Senate Democratic Primary

Crockett dismisses recent poll showing her trailing, says she is the only candidate with both state and federal experience.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 6:23pm

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Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jasmine Crockett has dismissed a recent independent poll showing her trailing fellow Democrat James Talarico, calling it "deeply flawed." Crockett's internal poll shows her leading Talarico by 13 percentage points, and she believes she is the only candidate who can reassemble the Democratic Party base and expand the electorate during the general election in November.

Why it matters

The Texas Senate race is a key battleground in the 2026 midterm elections, with the winner potentially playing a pivotal role in determining control of the U.S. Senate. Crockett and Talarico are vying to become the Democratic nominee, and their ability to energize the party's base and appeal to independent voters will be crucial in the general election.

The details

Crockett's internal poll by HIT Strategies shows her leading Talarico among all demographic groups, including African Americans and Latinos. She believes she is the only candidate with both state and federal experience, which she says should be "paramount" for a federal position. Talarico, a State Representative from Austin, has argued that electability in November is the key issue during the Democratic primary, saying "every Democratic primary voter who shows up in this primary needs to have one question on their mind, and that is who is best positioned to win in November."

  • The Democratic primary election in Texas is scheduled for March 3, 2026.
  • Talarico recently launched a new Spanish-language TV and social media campaign.

The players

Jasmine Crockett

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate who believes she is leading in the primary race.

James Talarico

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and State Representative from Austin, who has argued that electability in November is the key issue during the primary.

John Fetterman

Democratic U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, whom Crockett referenced as an example of someone who may not have performed as expected on the federal level.

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What they’re saying

“I do believe that according to all polls, except for that one, that I am in the lead.”

— Jasmine Crockett, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate (CBS News Texas)

“The state of Texas is a majority-minority state, and so, 61% of the state is people of color. But when we look at who is actually turning out to vote, it is black and brown folk that are not showing up to the polls. Definitely, African Americans overwhelmingly support me. I'm still in the lead with Latinos, and we know that my opponent has been spending a lot of money specifically to try to get Latinos to come over to his side. But considering the fact that we're already there, and so we already have a rapport, then basically once we start spending our money, we will only continue to hopefully build upon that rapport.”

— Jasmine Crockett, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate (CBS News Texas)

“I think it's the central question this primary: who can win in November? Every Democratic primary voter who shows up in this primary needs to have one question on their mind, and that is who is best positioned to win in November, because if we don't win, we can't help people.”

— James Talarico, State Representative from Austin (CBS News Texas)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This race highlights the importance of electability and the ability to energize the Democratic base in the 2026 midterm elections. Crockett and Talarico are vying to become the party's nominee, and their strategies to appeal to diverse voters and win in November will be closely watched.