Rep. Jasmine Crockett‘s viral, confrontational style will square off against state Rep. James Talarico‘s softer, faith-driven approach on Saturday when the duo meet for the first Democratic primary debate of the U.S. Senate race in Texas.
The side-by-side showdown between the millennial candidates will give national Democrats and Lone Star voters an early look at which style of politics could be more electable ahead of the start of early voting on Feb. 17.
Crockett has gone viral and grabbed national headlines for fiery exchanges and spats with former GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Elon Musk.
“She’s going to be better off being who she has been, not hoping to come up with some augmented version designed for this particular occasion,” a Texas Democratic strategist, whose spent 30 years enmeshed in the state’s politics, told the Washington Examiner. “The challenge for her is that she basically only exists in snippets online.”
Talarico, a former sixth-grade teacher and seminary student with 1.2 million TikTok followers, has pitched himself as a more measured, faith-focused alternative who can win over moderates and independents.
“You’re not going to convince him he’s a bad dude,” said the Texas strategist. “And so don’t try.”
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There have been few consistent polls in the race. One conducted earlier this month by Emerson College with Nextstar found Talarico up by 9 percentage points. Another poll conducted by Texas Southern University in December found Crockett up by 8 percentage points.
National attention has yet to focus on the race. That’s why Saturday’s debate presents an opportunity for both candidates to not just garner attention but also show that their style is what’s needed to flip the seat.
“I expect James Talarico to remain controlled and substantive, while Jasmine Crockett may be more inclined to seek moments that generate headlines,” a national Democratic strategist told the Washington Examiner. “Against the backdrop of ongoing questions about her viability in a general election and Talarico’s meteoric rise on the national stage, I could easily see her using that to create contrast.”
It’s unlikely, though, that those watching the debate will see it devolve into an outright slug fest, at least from Talarico.
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“We will always treat Congresswoman Crockett with the utmost respect,” Talarico said when Crockett entered the race. “She is my colleague and she is a leader in our state. She deserves nothing less.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to Crockett and Talarico’s campaigns for comment.