Talarico’s Senate Bid Faces Internal Democratic Rift

Democratic Representative James Talarico is the nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas, challenging Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. While Talarico leads recent surveys, he confronts a “two-front war” inside his own party: Rep. Jasmine Crockett, the primary opponent he beat by six points, says she will not campaign alongside him and will focus on down-ballot races. Crockett told CNN’s Laura Coates she will be “campaigning down-ballot,” arguing Texas Democrats need more than a single top-ticket candidate to drive turnout.

Washington Examiner‘She Can’t Even Say His Name’: Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett Faces Backlash After Refusing to Campaign With Primary Winner James Talarico Daily WireNewsweekHuffPost

Crockett’s remarks emphasize a perceived lack of enthusiasm among Black voters. Talarico responded at a Houston town hall on July 20, urging supporters to keep Crockett’s name out of negative discourse, a plea that drew applause.

Newsweek

• TPOR poll (1,000 likely voters, Aug 21-24, 2026) shows Talarico leading Paxton 48 %-42 %, with 7 % undecided.

Newsweek

• A Fox News poll of Black voters gave Talarico an 87 %-13 % edge.

Daily Wire

• A TSU poll reported 79 % of likely Black voters intending to back Talarico.

Daily Wire

• A University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll found 60 % of Black voters held a favorable view of Talarico, and 69 % said they would support him if the election were held that day.

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• In a July 29 interview Talarico said, “People need to leave the congresswoman alone. She is doing incredible work. She is a leader in our state, in our country, and she deserves the utmost respect.”

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• Jasmine Crockett (CNN) emphasized “amplifying” down-ballot candidates and warned that a single high-profile race “is not enough.”

‘She Can’t Even Say His Name’: Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett Faces Backlash After Refusing to Campaign With Primary Winner James Talarico

• Rep. Jolanda Jones warned that Talarico’s limited engagement with Black elected officials could hurt voter turnout.

Daily Wire

Rep. Jolanda Jones asserted that “Talarico and everybody statewide in the Democratic Party has a black problem, whether they acknowledge it or not.” Republican observers have highlighted Crockett’s refusal to campaign with Talarico as evidence of division within the Democratic ranks.

Daily Wire

• “People need to leave the congresswoman alone. She is doing incredible work. She is a leader in our state, in our country, and she deserves the utmost respect,” — James Talarico

HuffPost

• “Black voters are practical. So at the end of the day, I don’t know that they’re going to have to be the most excited,” — Jasmine Crockett

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Polls differ on Black-voter support: Fox News (87 % advantage), TSU (79 % intent), and the University of Texas poll (60 % favorable, 69 % support). No source provides actual turnout data, leaving uncertainty about whether expressed support will translate into votes. Crockett claims a lack of excitement, while some Democratic operatives report “very excited” grassroots contacts, indicating a gap between public statements and internal assessments.

Newsweek

The November Senate election will determine whether Democrats can flip a seat they have not held since 1988. Talarico’s campaign must reconcile internal dissent, secure robust Black-voter turnout, and maintain its polling lead over Paxton as both parties allocate resources in the final weeks of the race.

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