U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett shook up the Democratic field in Texas on Monday after she launched her historic campaign for U.S. Senate.
After making waves in headlines and on social media timelines with her campaign launch, her Democratic primary opponent, Texas State Rep. James Talarico, reacted to the news in a video message.
“I want to welcome Congresswoman Crockett into the Democratic primary race,” said Talarico, 36, who said he is pursuing the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Sen. John Cornyn because “people deserve someone who knows how to fight and knows how to win in Washington.”
Seemingly acknowledging how challenging it will be to defeat a high-profile Democratic star like Crockett, Talarico continued, “We always knew this was going to be hard, and I am so proud of what we’ve built so far.”
The former public school teacher and theologian said, “We’ve shattered grassroots fundraising numbers. We’ve built an infrastructure of 10,000 volunteers, just like all of you who are already putting in the work to win in November.”
However, as intraparty divisions were already being created amid Crockett’s entrance into the U.S. Senate Democratic primary race, Talarico urged his supporters not to attack his new opponent.
“We have always maintained that we are pro our campaign, not anti anyone else’s,” he said. “We will make the case for why we are best positioned to win this race in November and take power back for working people, but we will always treat Congresswoman Crockett with the utmost respect. She is my colleague, and she is a leader in our state. She deserves nothing less.”
Crockett, 44, would become the first Black woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate from Texas if she were to defeat Talarico on March 3 and come out victorious in what will be a tough general election against the Republican nominee, which is being contested by Sen. Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and one the country’s few Black Republican leaders, Rep. Wesley Hunt.
During her campaign launch rally in Dallas, Crockett said she believes polling data and her experience demonstrate that she is the best candidate to take on Trump and Republicans amid an affordability crisis for millions of Americans.
“I’m done with politics as usual. I’m done with going along to get along, and it gets us nowhere,” Crockett said during a 40-minute campaign speech.
“I’m done watching rural hospitals and public schools close their doors. I’m done watching parents be afraid to send their kids to school or the mall or the movies because Republicans have flooded our streets with guns. I’m done with the senators sitting around doing nothing while Trump takes your hard-earned money, skims your Social Security, slashes Medicare, and gives tax breaks to billionaires!”
