Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) launched a Senate bid Monday after she was drawn out of her House district during the Lone Star State’s redistricting push that became set in stone last week.
Crockett’s bid comes just hours after former Rep. Colin Allred dropped out of the Democratic primary, saying that a “bruising” Democratic primary and runoff would hurt the party’s chances to remain “unified” against President Donald Trump.
Crockett has quickly risen to fame, serving her second term in the lower chamber, as many facets of the GOP have aimed to make her the face of the Democratic Party.
The congresswoman has had many viral moments on social media for her quick-witted comments. One of the most viewed instances was a tiff between her and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) during a committee hearing where the Texas Democrat referred to the Georgia Republican’s “bleach blonde, bad-built butch body.” Another instance went viral recently when someone asked her what she would say to Elon Musk. She responded quickly, saying she would tell him to “f*** off.”
As of the end of September, Crockett had $4.6 million cash on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Crockett entered the race after she reportedly called both Allred and Texas state Rep. James Talarico in what Allred described as a “professional, friendly conversation” on CNN.
Texas led the fight for the mid-decade redistricting effort after President Donald Trump backed an effort in the state to gain five seats that the Supreme Court ultimately defended last week after a challenge from a lower court in Texas.
The redistricting effort has left a handful of Democrats in the state scrambling for what to do next. Allred launched a House bid in Rep. Julie Johnson’s (D-TX) district. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), who has represented the Austin area since 1995, announced that he would retire earlier this year amid the new map to avoid a messy primary against House Progressive Caucus Chairman Greg Casar (D-TX), who was partially drawn into his district.
The Texas Senate race is already expected to be a crowded and expensive race, as Talarico is also a leading contender for the Democratic primary. The GOP primary is already shaping up to be a bloody one after Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) jumped in the race to challenge Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).
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“We’re building a movement in Texas — fueled by record-breaking grassroots fundraising and 10,000 volunteers who are putting in the work to defeat the billionaire mega-donors and puppet politicians who have taken over our state,” Talarico wrote in a statement. “Our movement is rooted in unity over division — so we welcome Congresswoman Crockett into this race.”
Talarico is in seminary, studying to become a pastor, while also serving as a member of the state House. The 36-year-old has 1.2 million followers on TikTok and is a former sixth grade teacher in San Antonio. Talarico brought in $6.2 million in the first three weeks of his campaign, surprising many in the state. He raised the most in the first quarter for any Senate candidate of any party in history, according to his press release.