State Sen. James Talarico declared victory in the Texas Democratic Senate primary after defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett in a closely watched race.
With 83% of the vote counted, Talarico led with 53% compared to Crockett’s 46%, securing the Democratic nomination. The win sets up a general election matchup against whichever Republican emerges from the GOP runoff between Ken Paxton and John Cornyn, scheduled for May 26 after neither candidate reached the 50% threshold in Tuesday’s primary.
“We’re about to take back Texas,” Talarico wrote in a post on X Wednesday morning following the results.
Despite the Democratic victory, political analysts continue to view the seat as a strong opportunity for Republicans. The Cook Political Report currently rates the race as “Likely Republican,” and prediction markets similarly show the GOP with a clear advantage heading into the general election.
The Democratic primary campaign was marked by several contentious moments. Talarico claimed earlier in the race that the Trump administration blocked an interview he recorded with Stephen Colbert from airing due to Equal Time Rule concerns. He framed the situation as political interference, saying, “This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see.”
However, Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, dismissed the allegation and accused Talarico of manipulating media narratives for fundraising and publicity. The interview was eventually released online.
The race also drew controversy after reports surfaced that Talarico had privately made comments about former Congressman Colin Allred, who previously ran for Senate in Texas. According to reporting, Talarico allegedly said he “signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable, intelligent Black woman.”
Allred responded publicly with a video criticizing the remark and urging voters to support Crockett instead. Talarico later denied making any racially motivated criticism, saying he was referring only to campaign strategy and not to Allred personally.
Crockett had received several high-profile endorsements during the race, including from former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks.
With the Democratic primary settled, attention now turns to the Republican runoff and the broader battle for the Texas Senate seat, where early indicators suggest the GOP nominee will enter the general election as the favorite.
The post Talarico Declares Victory Over Crockett In Texas Democrat Senate Primary appeared first on Real News Now.
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