Rep. Jasmine Crockett Endorses Opponent James Talarico After Primary Loss

The freshman House Democrat underperformed in the Tuesday primary, suggesting that GOP 'cheating' doomed her candidacy.

Mar. 4, 2026 at 7:51pm

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Rep. Jasmine Crockett endorsed James Talarico on Wednesday after conceding her loss to him in the Texas Senate Democratic primary. However, Crockett told The New York Times she would not 'make plans' to campaign for Talarico. Crockett blamed her loss on confusion among voters at Dallas polling locations due to last-minute court rulings, claiming Republicans had been trying to steal the election from her.

Why it matters

Crockett's endorsement of her opponent Talarico, despite not committing to campaign for him, highlights the divisions within the Democratic party in Texas. Her claims of Republican 'cheating' also raise concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the state.

The details

Crockett, a freshman House Democrat, secured high-profile endorsements from Vice President Kamala Harris and rapper Cardi B but underperformed in the Tuesday primary. With more than 95% of ballots counted, Talarico won 52.4% of the votes compared to Crockett's 46.2%. Crockett claimed that Republicans had targeted Dallas County, her home district, to try and steal the election from her. The Texas Supreme Court had ordered a lower court to issue provisional ballots after polls closed at 7 p.m. CT to account for delays and other issues.

  • On Tuesday, Crockett conceded her loss to Talarico in the Texas Senate Democratic primary.
  • On Wednesday, Crockett endorsed Talarico and said Democrats 'must remain united' as he continues to campaign amid a runoff race between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and state Attorney General Ken Paxton for the GOP nomination in the Senate contest.
  • On May 26, Republicans will head back to the polls to decide whether Cornyn or Paxton will be their standard-bearer in November.

The players

Rep. Jasmine Crockett

A freshman House Democrat who lost the Texas Senate Democratic primary to James Talarico.

James Talarico

The state representative who won the Texas Senate Democratic primary, defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett.

Sen. John Cornyn

The incumbent Republican senator in Texas who will face a runoff against state Attorney General Ken Paxton for the GOP nomination in the Senate contest.

Ken Paxton

The Texas Attorney General who will face a runoff against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn for the GOP nomination in the Senate contest.

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What they’re saying

“This morning I called James and congratulated him on becoming the Senate nominee. With the primary behind us, Democrats must rally around our nominees and win. I'm committed to doing my part and will continue working to elect Democrats up and down the ballot.”

— Rep. Jasmine Crockett

“If one person has the right to vote, and they weren't allowed to cast their vote, we should all be standing together. Democrats, Republicans, and we should all be raising hell. We cannot allow this type of behavior to be rewarded, because so long as they know that they can win, even if it means cheating, then they will continue to do it.”

— Rep. Jasmine Crockett

“People will not turn out because of what's happened, in my opinion, especially if no one fights for their votes to be counted.”

— Rep. Jasmine Crockett

What’s next

The Texas Supreme Court ordered a lower court to issue provisional ballots after polls closed at 7 p.m. CT to account for delays and other issues. Republicans will head back to the polls on May 26 to decide whether Sen. John Cornyn or Texas AG Ken Paxton will be their standard-bearer in November.

The takeaway

Crockett's loss in the Democratic primary and her refusal to actively campaign for her opponent Talarico highlights the divisions within the Texas Democratic party. Her claims of Republican 'cheating' also raise concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the state, which will be further tested in the upcoming Republican runoff and general election.