Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) is currently leading Texas Rep. James Talarico by 12 points in the Democratic primary race for the U.S. Senate nomination, based on a recent study from the University of Texas and the Texas Politics Project.
A poll conducted among 369 likely voters indicates that Crockett has secured 56% of the vote compared to Talarico’s 44%. This primary will play a crucial role in deciding the party’s nominee for the Senate election in Texas, set for November 2026.
Notably, this represents an increase in Crockett’s standing from earlier surveys. A poll conducted in February showed Crockett at 47% and Talarico at 39%, with 12% of voters undecided. Additionally, a previous study from December had Crockett leading with 51% to Talarico’s 43%.
Crockett has expressed a confident outlook regarding the political landscape in Texas. On MSNBC’s Morning Joe, she stated that Democrats “absolutely” have a chance to secure the Texas Senate seat, highlighting the state’s population growth. “When I was in the statehouse and drew the line,” she noted, “Texas has seen an increase of 4 million people, with only 180,000 being Anglo; the rest are predominantly people of color. We know that Latinos make up 41% of Texas’ population, and we have the largest African American community in the country, in addition to the rapidly growing AAPI community.”
“It’s not just Dallas County; it extends to the surrounding areas too,” she mentioned, referencing Collin and Kaufman counties. “Interestingly, Tarrant County is performing better than Republicans, at least according to the latest reports.”
In a CNN interview, Crockett remarked that “both independents and Republicans prefer me over Ms. Talarico,” citing poll results from the University of Houston. She mentioned that the numbers don’t indicate any issues with her statewide competitiveness. She also commented on outside financing in the race, revealing that her opponent has a super PAC running negative ads against her. “Our governor has invested over $1 million in TV spots targeting me,” she said. Crockett raised questions about this approach, asking why they would spend so much if they truly believed she was the candidate they wanted.
Meanwhile, both candidates recently appeared on ABC’s The View amid an FCC investigation regarding potential violations of equal airtime rules. Crockett’s segments totaled about 17 minutes, while Talarico appeared for nine minutes. Recent FCC guidelines state that all legally filed candidates should receive equal airtime, a rule that was in effect before Crockett’s appearance.
Talarico was initially scheduled for an interview on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, but lawyers determined it couldn’t air. Colbert later shared the interview on YouTube since the FCC’s equal time requirements do not apply to online platforms.
Before its online release, Colbert noted that the CBS segment was withheld due to the pending FCC investigation into Talarico’s appearance on ABC. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr had raised concerns in January, referring to such programs as “fake news” that might be subject to equal time regulations. Violations of these rules can incur fines or even jeopardize broadcast licenses, but violators are generally required to offer equivalent airtime to relevant political candidates.
