Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) expressed that black voters are not completely behind James Talarico, the Texas Democratic Senate candidate, and plans to skip next week’s Texas Democratic Party convention.
Democrats are set to convene in Corpus Christi next week to rally support and gain momentum for Talarico, who is challenging Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. However, one of the party’s notable members, Crockett, who lost to Talarico in the Democratic Senate primary in March, will not attend. She indicated that her focus is on supporting candidates across the country who opposed her.
The congresswoman raised concerns about whether Democrats, especially black voters, are truly coming together for Talarico and other local candidates in the elections.
“I haven’t sensed much unity,” Crockett remarked. “People don’t appear to be convinced at this point, but there’s still time until November.”
When asked if she’d actively back Talarico’s campaign, Crockett hesitated.
“I’m not sure. I’m more focused on down-ballot races right now,” she stated.
Crockett also refuted claims that Talarico had declined an invitation to the convention, describing it instead as a “random invitation.” She mentioned having a missed call from Talarico that wasn’t returned, adding that she didn’t receive any follow-up messages.
Talarico’s team claimed he reached out to Crockett personally, requesting her to give the keynote at the convention. Since his primary victory, Talarico has been advocating for party unity and has collaborated with black candidates, gaining backing from groups that engaged black voters during the primaries.
Nonetheless, Crockett’s absence means Democrats miss a chance to showcase unity as they head into a challenging general election against Paxton. She conveyed worries regarding the party’s fundraising efforts, suggesting that national donors might prefer investing in less expensive races outside Texas.
“If there’s a surge for some reason, I doubt it’s due to anyone on this ticket,” Crockett said. “It’s likely just the overall climate. That might suffice.”
Texas Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder dismissed any notion of discord within the party, asserting that enthusiasm remains as they approach November.
“There’s significant energy against Democrats statewide,” Scudder noted. “We see many opportunities ahead.”
Crockett recognized her loss after the March primary and called on Democrats to rally behind their nominee. Her concession followed Talarico’s unexpected win, despite several pre-election polls indicating that Crockett held a substantial lead for the Democratic Senate nomination.
