State Rep. James Talarico defeated Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in a costly and highly competitive Democratic primary for the Texas Senate, reviving the party’s hopes for a potential landslide victory in November, the AP reported.
After her defeat, she called on the party to unite behind Talarico, who clinched the nomination overnight. In a statement, Crockett said, “Texas is ready to go blue and we have to stay united because it’s bigger than anyone.” She added, “This is about the future of all 30 million Texans and how to get America back on track.”
Crockett’s campaign has said it plans to file a lawsuit over alleged voting irregularities in Dallas. She spoke briefly on Tuesday night, warning that “people have been disenfranchised”.
“We’re going to take back Texas. Talarico
No Democrat has been able to secure a statewide victory in heavily Republican Texas for more than three decades. Still, after the victory, Talarico said in a statement, “We are going to take back Texas.” After Talarico took the lead, the 36-year-old former high school teacher told supporters, “Tonight, the people of our state gave this country a little hope,” adding, “A little hope is a dangerous thing.”
According to a Fortune report, Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas opened midterm elections on Tuesday (local time), with control of Congress at stake. The midterm elections came against the backdrop of the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Republicans are preparing for an ugly fight in Texas
Talarico will now face the winner of the Republican runoff scheduled for May, either Sen. John Cornyn or State Attorney Ken Paxton.
The Republican battle in Texas is just beginning, according to an AP report. Four-time Sen. John Cornyn and his allies spent about $70 million to survive the first round of the party’s nomination fight Tuesday. Cornyn was slightly ahead of Ken Paxton, the state’s attorney general, with more votes still being counted Wednesday.
With both advancing to a May 26 runoff, many Republicans fear the election could be uglier and more expensive than the first contest. But it remains unclear whether any kind of attacks can stop Paxton, who has long been shadowed by allegations of corruption and infidelity.
Republicans are also concerned about the runoff, as the 83-day race comes amid growing bipartisan recognition that Democrats likely have a rare opportunity to pick up a U.S. Senate seat in Texas this year, a victory that has eluded them in nearly four decades.
The Texas race comes as President Donald Trump tries to maintain Republican control of Congress during the final two years of his White House tenure. While the party appears more confident of holding the House, the Senate’s outlook is less certain. A close contest in Texas could reshape the electoral map, or at least force Republicans to divert funds and manpower from battleground states like North Carolina, Maine, Ohio and Alaska.
