Rep. Jasmine Crockett launched a bid for the U.S. Senate in Texas and said her campaign welcomes voters from any party — including those who regret backing Donald Trump. She pledged to prioritize issues that matter to Texans, highlighting struggles among farmers and ranchers tied to farm bill stalemates and rising bankruptcies. Crockett’s entry sets up a primary with State Rep. James Talarico after Colin Allred exited the race, while strategist James Carville criticized her for making the campaign too self-focused.
Crockett Says Voters Who ‘Regret’ Backing Trump Are Welcome as She Launches Texas Senate Campaign
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) on Saturday said her campaign for a U.S. Senate seat will welcome voters from any party — including those who regret voting for Donald Trump — signaling a broad outreach strategy as she competes in the Democratic primary.
“I’m a Texan, and at the end of the day I don’t believe it has to be one party or the other — I believe it has to be both,” Crockett told MS NOW. “We’re going to see people that are regretting that they voted for Trump. And those people are absolutely welcome in our campaign.”
Crockett emphasized that her campaign will focus on practical issues affecting Texans, especially rural communities. She pointed to farmers and ranchers who had been struggling before Trump took office because House Republicans blocked a farm bill from advancing, and said those problems have since been exacerbated.
“That’s why there’s record numbers of bankruptcies that are being filed right now,” Crockett said, arguing that economic struggles in agricultural communities require immediate attention.
Her announcement last week set up a primary contest with Texas State Rep. James Talarico, who the campaign said should be a partner in unity rather than division. The field shifted after former Rep. Colin Allred (D) withdrew from the Senate race to run again for a House seat.
Not all reaction to Crockett’s bid has been positive. Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville criticized her decision to run, saying she violated what he called the “first rule of politics” by centering the campaign on herself rather than on voters. Carville argued that successful campaigns frame issues and connect with constituents, rather than focusing primarily on personal profile or online metrics.
At her campaign launch event, Crockett acknowledged pleas for her to remain in the U.S. House but said a Senate campaign would give her a larger platform to advocate for Texans.
“There are a lot of people that said, ‘You got to stay in the House. We need our voice. We need you there.’ And I understand, but what we need is for me to have a bigger voice,”she said.
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