It seems the Republican strategy to support Democratic Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett for the Senate might actually be gaining traction.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), as reported by The Daily Caller News Foundation, included Crockett’s name in their polls starting in July, revealing that she was leading in a hypothetical Democratic primary. Since then, the NRSC has been actively encouraging Crockett to enter the Senate Democratic primary, according to an article in Tuesday’s NOTUS newspaper.
“When we saw the results, we thought, ‘Okay, we have to spread this widely,’” someone familiar with the process shared.
NOTUS indicates that Crockett is viewed as the Republican Party’s top candidate against incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn, who is up for re-election against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Republican Wesley Hunt.
The source also mentioned that outreach efforts involved calls and texts to Texas voters, urging support for Crockett’s run. “This was really an ongoing effort that we coordinated across the ecosystem over several months,” they said. “There was positive press coverage, and her office experienced a notable influx of calls urging her to race for the Senate.”
When questioned about the NRSC poll and its findings, Joanna Rodriguez, the committee’s communications director, referenced Crockett’s own remarks on the Democratic Party’s chances against Cornyn. “Crockett herself has suggested that no Texas Democrat can defeat Cornyn, but her statements about the U.S. Senate make it clear that Cornyn is the only conservative who can maintain Texan values and support President Trump’s Senate presence,” Rodriguez explained.
This comment was linked to Crockett’s discussion on Politico’s “The Conversation” podcast, hosted by Dasha Barnes, on October 30. She expressed skepticism about any Democrat’s ability to challenge Cornyn, saying, “To be clear, I don’t think there’s a Democrat out there who can get rid of Cornyn.” She further mentioned that her decision to run would depend not only on the Democratic primary but also on internal polling assessing her general election viability. “For me, it’s a last-minute choice because it’s not simply about winning the primary. We need to secure the popular vote,” she remarked.
In addition, Texas Representative James Talarico is also in the Senate race, while former Democratic Congressman Colin Allred chose to suspend his campaign against Cornyn just hours before Crockett’s announcement, aiming to avoid a divisive primary that could hinder Democratic prospects.
After stepping back, Allred declared his intention to run in the Democratic primary for Texas’ 33rd Congressional District instead. His decision has stirred tensions, with many Democrats rallying behind Representative Julie Johnson, who is currently in the 32nd District but is planning to contest the 33rd post-redistricting.
Crockett’s entry into the Senate race has reignited discussions among Democrats about their chances of reclaiming the Senate in 2026, raising concerns about whether party members should openly support her candidacy.
Crockett’s campaign launched with her first ad featuring her looking directly into the camera, accompanied by a voiceover from President Donald Trump deriding her as a “low IQ person” and mocking her standing within the Democratic Party.
The Caller attempted to reach out to Crockett’s office for a response but had not received any before publication.
