Social Media Shapes Texas Senate Race Between Viral Congresswoman and Bible-Quoting Legislator

Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico, facing off in the Democratic primary, showcase divergent approaches to building online followings and fundraising.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 1:47pm

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Jasmine Crockett, a Democratic congresswoman, and James Talarico, a state representative, are facing off in the Texas Senate Democratic primary. Crockett has built a large TikTok following with combative videos, while Talarico leans into his background as a seminarian and quotes the Bible. The two candidates have taken different approaches to harnessing the power of social media, which has become crucial for raising money and reaching voters in the modern political landscape.

Why it matters

The Texas Senate race is seen as a key battleground for Democrats as they try to break the Republican party's hold on the state and recapture the Senate majority. The divergent social media strategies of Crockett and Talarico reflect the broader debate within the Democratic party about the best way to appeal to voters and win elections.

The details

Crockett, a former public defender and civil-rights attorney, has built a large TikTok following of 2.2 million, giving her one of the largest reaches on the platform among members of Congress. Her most popular posts include combative exchanges with Republicans in Congress. Talarico, a former middle school teacher who is training to be a Presbyterian minister, has 1.5 million TikTok followers and leans into his Christian faith, regularly quoting the Bible in his videos. Both candidates are using social media to raise money and test messaging, with Crockett raising $6.5 million so far and Talarico raising more than $13 million.

  • Crockett's most-watched TikTok clip, a five-second interview outside the U.S. Capitol, has been viewed 20.7 million times.
  • Talarico's top TikTok video, an 88-second speech, has been watched 15.5 million times.

The players

Jasmine Crockett

A 44-year-old Democratic congresswoman from the Dallas area who previously served two years in the Texas House. She is seen as the candidate better able to excite voters of color.

James Talarico

A 36-year-old state representative from the Austin area who is training to be a Presbyterian minister. His backers believe the discussion of his Christian faith could win over a wider swath of voters.

John Cornyn

The four-term incumbent Republican senator from Texas who might not be renominated.

Ken Paxton

The Texas Attorney General who is popular with Trump's base but has also spent most of his career under legal troubles.

Wesley Hunt

A Republican congressman who is also seeking the GOP nomination for the Texas Senate seat.

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What they’re saying

“I think their voting records would be identical, but their style of politics is very different, which is fascinating to watch.”

— Allison Campolo, Democratic Party chair for Fort Worth's home county

“I think that I will do the edgy things, the things that the political consultants will never tell you to do.”

— Jasmine Crockett

“Maybe they should try following the Ten Commandments before mandating them.”

— James Talarico, State representative

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 showcases the divergent approaches that Democratic candidates are taking to harness the power of social media, with Crockett's combative style contrasting with Talarico's focus on his Christian faith. The outcome of the primary could signal the direction the party wants to take in its efforts to break the Republican hold on Texas.