+34A super PAC supporting James Talarico is running ads online warning that the GOP is “boosting” Jasmine Crockett. Her spokesperson said Republicans “who underestimate her do so at their own peril.”
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Get our free newsletters in your inbox three times a week.U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, right, Democratic primary candidate for U.S. Senate, answers a question during a debate at the 2026 Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention in Georgetown on Jan. 24, 2026. Her opponent, state Rep. James Talarico, looks on.The leading candidates, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and state Rep. James Talarico of Austin, have each pitched voters on the idea that they are a better bet for November. Crockett has vowed to turn out new voters to finally flip the state, while Talarico has advocated a broader strategy that includes reaching out to Republicans.in the final days of Tuesday’s primary warning that Republicans are “boosting” Crockett and “spending thousands of dollars to make sure that Jasmine Crockett gets elected.” The ads link to a report about how a conservative group has sent out texts highlighting Crockett’s hard line against ICE and how Gov. Greg Abbott has featured her prominently in ads. Crockett has scoffed at the GOP meddling narrative, questioning why Republicans would be so clear about a preference, and has urged Democrats to tune out the GOP messaging., drawing a parallel to Republicans who egged on Democrats in the 2024 election to abandon President Joe Biden. “Democrats need to focus on the prize.”“I would tell every Republican elected official to stay out of our business and stay out of our primary,” TalaricoThe back and forth over GOP meddling gets at a broader debate in the primary about who is better positioned to win a Senate election for Texas Democrats for the first time since 1988. The party is optimistic given the national political environment and the potential that Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has a history of scandals, could emerge as the GOP nominee as he takes on longtime incumbent John Cornyn. Paxton said Monday he does not have a preference between Crockett and Talarico. “They’re both so liberal,” Paxton told Dallas radio host Mark Davis.tested an array of potential general election matchups between Crockett or Talarico and GOP candidates — and showed no one had a decisive advantage. A Crockett campaign spokesperson, in response to this story, made the case that the candidate’s “durability” — as shown by favorability ratings in multiple polls — amid the meddling shows she has what it takes to win in November. “Part of electability is being able to weather the storm,” the spokesperson, Karrol Rimal said, adding that Republicans “who underestimate her do so at their own peril.” Republicans have signaled in some cases that they clearly see a more compelling foil in Crockett, who has been aggressive in her criticism of President Donald Trump — who won the state by 14 percentage points in 2024 — and hasthe increasingly crucial voting bloc of Hispanic voters who have drifted toward Trump. Crockett previously downplayed the need to convert Trump’s supporters,that was “not our goal,” though she has since voiced confidence in her ability to win over independents and moderate Republicans. Playing in the other side’s competitive primary is a well-worn campaign tactic, and one some Republicans have undertaken to boost Crockett, whom many believe would be the easier matchup in a general election. American Sovereignty, a conservative group, has sent texts to voters calling Crockett “ICE’s worst nightmare” and linked to a debate clip in which she calls to “clean house” at the Department of Homeland Security. Funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and debates over whether to dismantle the organization in the wake of two killings of American citizens in Minneapolis, has been a key motivator for Democrats this year. And long before Crockett jumped into the race, the National Republican Senatorial Committee — which has made no secret of its belief that Crockett would be a weak general election candidate —on social media that Republicans “should be very concerned about Jasmine Crockett’s surge” and calling her “a real threat.” He disputed that his message was intended as a way of boosting Crockett to the nomination,The GOP campaign to effectively prop up Crockett has fueled some of the more tense moments in the primary. After a pro-Talarico group, Lone Star Rising, released an ad citing the apparent GOP preference for Crockett — telling Democrats, “If she wins, we lose” — Crockett accused the group of darkening her skin and called the line of attack Other Republicans have used Crockett for a more traditional tactic: as a villain to motivate Republicans who don’t like her to turn out this primary season. Several GOP candidates have included Crockett in ads depicting high-profile Democratic figures as chief antagonists, grouping her alongside self-described democratic socialists.that ran throughout early voting, backed by millions of dollars. In congressional Republican primaries, Crockett can be found in ads across the state from candidates who are not running against her but are banking on their voters being motivated to turn out against her.Since 1986, the SA Current has served as the free, independent voice of San Antonio, and we want to keep it that way. Becoming an SA Current Supporter for as little as $5 a month allows us to continue offering readers access to our coverage of local news, food, nightlife, events, and culture with no paywalls.Tom Sell, in the West Texas-based 19th Congressional District, included Crockett’s image while describing “woke liberal extremists” alongside New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A group backing GOP candidate Alex Mealer in a Houston-area district depicted Crockett alongside Vice President Kamala Harris as the narratoragainst his primary challenger, David McArthur, claiming McArthur’s “big insurance backers have spent $6 million electing radical Democrats” — and then names Crockett as the sole example. In the CNN interview, Crockett cast some doubt on the idea that Republicans want to run against her, saying, “I don’t know who who it is that they want to go against.” “Right now the governor of Texas is spending over $3 million specifically against me, running ads, so it doesn’t sound like they want to go against me,” she said. However, she added that the GOP is “very good at throwing bombs” and pointed to the 2024 presidential election as an example. “They did the exact same thing when they decided to tell all the Democrats that, Oh, Joe Biden is old, and, oh, he is senile, so therefore you guys need to get rid of Joe Biden,” Crockett said. “And so, what did we do? We went ahead and got rid of Joe Biden, and at the end of the day, what did they do? They elected an old, senile conman instead.” Disclosure: University of Houston has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete Bobby Pulido thinks he knows how to win back Trump-voting Latino voters. But first he needs to win the primary for the 15th Congressional District.Cornyn insiders told Cook Political Report they have ‘moved past the early stages of grief and are approaching more of a sullen acceptance’ that he can’t close the deal.Don Huffines, Christi Craddick and Kelly Hancock are talking more about fighting DEI, trans athletes and illegal immigration than the office’s traditional fiscal duties.Sanford Nowlin is editor-in-chief of the San Antonio Current. He holds degrees from Trinity University and the University of Texas at San Antonio, and his work has been featured in Salon, Alternet, Creative...Everything we saw at San Antonio’s United We Brunch food festival
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