Jasmine Crockett files to run for U.S. Senate seat held by John Cornyn

DALLAS — U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett on Monday launched a Senate bid that will dramatically reshape the race for the seat held by Republican John Cornyn.

Crockett, who officially filed for candidacy on Monday, joins state Rep. James Talarico in the March 3 Democratic primary.

Colin Allred, who ran for Senate two years ago against Sen. Ted Cruz and had said he’ll run again this year, announced Monday he was leaving the Senate race to run for the House after it became apparent Crockett would run for Senate.

The winner of the Democratic nomination advances to a November general election showdown against the victor of the GOP primary that includes Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt.

The Democratic Senate primary will likely focus on which candidate is better suited to be the party’s standard-bearer in the era of President Donald Trump. Polls show Democrats want a fighter to lead a fierce resistance to Trump and his policies, rather than someone focused on compromising.

“Voters are looking for someone who’s unapologetic in defending our values and who is plain spoken and knows how to speak the language of the everyday person,” said Kardal Coleman, chairman of the Dallas County Democratic Party. “All of them are going to be skilled campaigners and skilled communicators, but the person who can really exemplify what it means to be a Texas Democrat is going to have the most success.”

Candidates have until 6 p.m. Monday to file for the March 3 primaries. Crockett was to make an official announcement at 4:30 p.m.

Talarico, in a statement, touted the groundwork his campaign already has laid in the race for the party’s nomination.

“We’re building a movement in Texas — fueled by record-breaking grass-roots 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,” he said in the statement.

“Our movement is rooted in unity over division — so we welcome Congresswoman Crockett into this race.”

Crockett, 44, is in her second term representing District 30 in the Dallas area. She won the seat in 2022 after the late trailblazing Democrat Eddie Bernice Johnson hand-picked Crockett as her successor.

Before Congress, Crockett served one term in the Texas House. She got there by winning an underdog campaign against former state Rep. Lorraine Birabil, a Dallas Democrat.

In Congress Crockett is known for her unabashed criticism of Trump and his allies. She’s had spats with U.S. Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Nancy Mace of South Carolina that went viral.

Crockett was criticized in March for referring to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as “governor hot wheels” during a California dinner speech. Abbott has used a wheelchair since he was partially paralyzed as a young man in 1984 when a tree fell on him.

Republicans are relishing the prospect of being able to use such past statements against Crockett in the general election, along with her left-leaning policy positions and outspoken criticisms of Trump.

The three top Republican Senate candidates were eager to welcome her to the race.

Cornyn re-posted a video by former CNN commentator Chris Cillizza titled “Why Jasmine Crockett’s Senate run could be a nightmare for Democrats” in which the pundit argued Crockett has little chance of winning the general election, regardless of which Republican she faces.

Paxton recently posted polling numbers indicating he would defeat Crockett in a general election.

Hunt told conservative political commentator Benny Johnson that Crockett is “constantly clamoring about being the victim” and that he welcomed the prospect of putting their differing world views in front voters.

“I always tell people I’m Black and I am very proud, but I’m an American and I am prouder, and I can assure you that the contrast with a debate like that between Wesley Hunt and Jasmine Crocket is going to be must-see TV,” Hunt said.

Crockett is a national figure with strong name recognition. Political analysts say that makes her the front-runner in the Senate primary. Crockett has become a prolific fundraiser. She has more than $4.6 million in her congressional campaign account.

A University of Houston-Texas Southern University survey had Crockett leading a field of current and potential Democratic Senate candidates with 31% support. Talarico and former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke of El Paso had 25%, while Allred scored 13% support.

Crockett’s Senate bid comes after a summertime mid-decade Republican redistricting moved her out of District 30. The Supreme Court ruled last week Texas can use the new map for the 2026 election.

Crockett’s national profile and fundraising prowess would have likely allowed her to find a path back to the House regardless, representing one of the two remaining Dallas-area seats that lean Democratic.

She has said Democrats must find a way to win back the Senate, however, to make real progress on their agenda. Flipping Texas would go a long way toward achieving that goal.

Crockett could be chafing at her unsuccessful attempts to climb the ranks in Congress, having lost a race to join party leadership and failing in her bid for the top spot on the Oversight Committee.

Crockett also could be motivated by her history-making potential. A Black woman has never won a Texas statewide office. She would be the first person of color from Texas to serve in the Senate.

Crockett’s entry into the race could force Talarico to change his strategy.

Talarico, 36, stormed into the race in September and raised more than $6 million in one month. His candidacy has excited Democrats, including progressives attracted to his charisma and principled warrior persona.

He’s cast himself as the Texas Democrat needed to check Trump, and crowds have flocked to his rallies to hear his soaring oratory.

Crockett is expected to siphon some of Talarico’s support, especially in North Texas.

Allred announced his candidacy July 1 and had staged numerous Texas campaign swings. Last year he lost a highly publicized Senate race to Cruz, and part of his campaign challenge was to convince Democratic voters he’s the right kind of pugilist to win what could be a bruising statewide general election campaign.

Though Allred, 42, outperformed former Vice President Kamala Harris in Texas in 2024, his defeat soured him with some Democrats.

Still, he had maintained support, though Crockett could have hurt him in North Texas and the Houston area, where he had support from Black voters and women.