Veteran strategist James Carville told listeners on the Politics War Room podcast that Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s Senate bid breaks a core campaign rule by centering on herself rather than voters. Co-host Al Hunt suggested James Talarico would be the most electable Democrat against Ken Paxton if he runs. Carville said Crockett represents a safely Democratic district (about 24 points) and urged that stronger efforts be made to compete in toss-up or Republican-leaning districts. He also cited Tennessee’s 7th District and Aftyn Behn as an example of a poor candidate choice in a winnable race.
James Carville Slams Jasmine Crockett: 'Politics Is About Voters, Not Yourself'
James Carville warned that while Rep. Jasmine Crockett is viable in a heavily Democrat-leaning district, she may not do so well in a broader area.
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville criticized Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s Senate ambitions on Thursday’s episode of the Politics War Room podcast, arguing that her approach violates what he called the “first rule of politics”: make campaigns about voters, not yourself.
Co-host Al Hunt said Crockett’s entry into the Texas Senate race is good news for Democrats and suggested state Rep. James Talarico could be the party’s most competitive match-up if he runs against Attorney General Ken Paxton. “If he ends up running against Ken Paxton, I like those odds,” Hunt said.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, frequently seen in the news for incendiary rhetoric, caused a shakeup by entering the race for the Texas senate.
Carville said he is more optimistic about Democrats’ prospects in Texas than he has been in a long time. He praised Crockett’s education and energy but argued her messaging focuses too much on personal branding rather than voter concerns. “In politics, you always make it about the voters and never about yourself,” he said.
“You listen to her talk. It's a lot more about herself than it is the voters,” Carville added.
Carville noted that Crockett represents a safely Democratic district—roughly 24 points in the party’s favor—and suggested she would better serve Democrats by helping to mobilize voters in more competitive, Republican-leaning districts. He warned that staying in a safe seat while cultivating viral moments and media attention may raise a lawmaker’s profile but does not necessarily help the party win tougher races.
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville has frequently warned that the Democratic Party loses what should be easy victories by catering to far-left cultural politics.
As an example of avoidable missteps, Carville pointed to Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, where he said Democrats nominated a weak candidate, Aftyn Behn, in an election when Republicans were vulnerable. Using hyperbole, he described that selection as if Democrats had tried to “design the worst candidate” and listed hypothetical liabilities that could alienate swing voters. Despite those concerns, Carville noted, the Democratic candidate did narrow the GOP margin from 22 points to 9.
Carville concluded by stressing the fundamentals of winning elections: framing issues in ways that resonate with ordinary voters, understanding where people are coming from, and avoiding an overreliance on clicks, viral moments, or polemical rhetoric. “What wins elections is not sitting there talking incessantly about yourself,” he said. “Winning elections is being part of framing issues and understanding where people are coming from, and I don't think Congressman Crockett is very good at that. I’ll be very frank.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Aftyn Behn and Jasmine Crockett and did not receive immediate responses.
