Texas State Rep. James Talarico secured victory in the Texas Democratic Senate primary, defeating outspoken Trump critic Rep. Jasmine Crockett and effectively ending her time in Washington, D.C. at the close of her current term.
With 86 percent of the vote counted, Talarico captured 53.1 percent of the vote compared to Crockett’s 45.6 percent, according to the Associated Press. The win positions Talarico as the Democratic nominee in a race that could shape the political landscape in Texas this fall.
On the Republican side, the party’s nominee will not be determined until late May as longtime Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton head into a runoff. That delay gives Talarico additional time to begin preparing for the general election campaign.
The Democratic primary highlighted sharp contrasts in campaign strategy and tone between the two candidates.
Crockett, a prominent left-wing voice and frequent critic of President Donald Trump, opted not to seek reelection to her safe House seat in order to pursue the Senate race. Her campaign leaned heavily on positioning herself as a foil to Trump, while largely steering away from traditional campaign tactics early in the race.
She initially hesitated to air television ads but later released an unconventional anime-style campaign spot that featured artificial intelligence-generated crowds.
Talarico took a far more traditional and aggressive approach to campaigning. The former middle school teacher, who is currently working toward a divinity degree, saturated the airwaves with advertisements in both English and Spanish. His campaign invested heavily in outreach, including spending $10,000 to run an ad during the Super Bowl.
In total, Talarico spent more than $8.6 million on advertisements during the primary race. Meanwhile, Lone Star Rising, a political action committee affiliated with him, added another $4.1 million in advertising support.
Political observers widely viewed Crockett as the weaker candidate in a general election matchup. Recent polling indicated that Paxton trailed Talarico in a hypothetical November contest, while Crockett lagged behind both Cornyn and Paxton in similar polling scenarios.
Despite her primary loss, Crockett pledged to continue working to support Democratic candidates across Texas in an effort to flip the state in November.
Talarico gained momentum during the final stretch of the race. After appearing on Stephen Colbert’s show on February 17, the Democrat reportedly raised $2.5 million in campaign funds in the weeks that followed.
The race also saw its share of political controversy in the closing days before the primary. Talarico drew criticism from Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott after the Democrat made comments following a terror-linked shooting outside a bar in Austin on Sunday.
Abbott responded on social media, posting on X, “You and your immigration policies would make America less safe.” The message quickly gained traction online, racking up 1.6 million views ahead of election day.
Crockett has had her own contentious exchanges with Abbott in the past. In March 2025, she referred to the governor, who uses a wheelchair, as “Governor Hot Wheels.” The congresswoman later said the remark was aimed at trains used by the Texas government to transport illegal immigrants.
She also drew national attention after calling Trump “Temu Hitler,” referencing the Chinese e-commerce platform.
Separate from the campaign, Crockett’s past also resurfaced during the race. In December 2025, the Daily Caller News Foundation reported that Crockett had rented a car in 2006 alongside a man previously convicted of robbery. After the man crashed the vehicle, Crockett — then in her 20s and beginning her legal career — was sued and had to defend herself in court.
With the Democratic primary settled, Talarico now turns his focus toward the general election, where the final Republican challenger will soon emerge.
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