'It's now or never': Jasmine Crockett joins the race for U.S. Senate in Texas

After weeks of speculation, North Texas U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett officially announced her U.S. Senate bid to unseat Republican incumbent John Cornyn in South Dallas Monday.

The two-term Congresswoman has represented Texas' 30th congressional district since 2023, garnering national attention for her outspoken criticism of President Donald Trump. The two often have feuded on social media over issues including health care, food assistance and housing.

During her announcement, she said her gloves have been off and now it's time to jump in the ring.

"I could have played it safe," she said. "But I don't choose to do that, because Texas, this moment we're in now is life or death. It's all or nothing. It's now or never."

Some Democrats believe Crockett's dissension with the far-right could work in her favor, especially after last month's election. Voters appeared to lean away from MAGA extremism, supporting Democratic candidates in typically Republican strongholds like suburban Tarrant and Harris counties.

In a special election out of Fort Worth, Democrats nearly flipped the District 9 U.S. House seat that's been held by Republicans since 1991. That election is heading to a runoff on Jan. 31.

Crockett's trying to capitalize on that apparent shift, illustrating the contrast between herself and her GOP rivals. During her announcement, she characterized Cornyn as an establishment politician under President Trump's thumb, citing his voting record on issues like health care, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Social Security.

"We all know that Senator John Cornyn does not have the guts to stand up to Trump," Crockett said. "I do. Cornyn carries on with business as usual while small businesses across Texas take the hit from Trump's tariffs. Well, I'm done with politics as usual."

Cornyn took a similar approach, comparing Crockett to New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a recent post on X.

"She is aligned with AOC, the Squad, and the far-left agenda they push in Congress," the post read.

But before the general election, Crockett will have to contend with state Rep. James Talarico of Austin in the Democratic primary and Cornyn will face stiff competition in his primary against Attorney General Ken Paxton. Houston-area state Rep. Wesley Hunt also submitted his paperwork to run in the Republican primary last month.

Crockett is no longer facing Democrat Colin Allred, who dropped out of the Senate race Monday to run for the newly drawn 33rd Congressional District. Allred said he wanted to avoid a Democratic runoff — and to maximize the chance of Democrats flipping the seat.

Doing so in a reliably red state will be an uphill battle, as a Democrat hasn't won a statewide contest since 1994, but Crockett urged her supporters not to let that deter them.

"For most of us, a Republican-controlled Texas is all we've known," she said. "But we cannot let that diminish our faith and belief in what can be."

Day one promises from Crockett include addressing ongoing healthcare and affordability issues.

"Groceries are too expensive," Crockett said. "The light bill won't stop going up. People are being crushed by their rent or their mortgages. That's why I'm running now, to get Texas back on track and to be a fighter for the middle class."

Recent polling from the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs shows she may have an upper hand against her democratic colleagues. Crockett received a plurality of support among likely voters in a hypothetical race against Talarico and Allred.

Crockett will be vacating her House seat to pursue her Senate bid, with Friendship-West Baptist Church Pastor Frederick Haynes III vying to fill it.

If elected to the U.S. Senate, Crockett would be the first Black woman to ever win a statewide office in Texas.

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