State lawmaker beats Jasmine Crockett in fiercely contested election marked by record turnout and confusion at polls

James Talarico won the Democratic nomination for a US Senate seat in Texas on Tuesday, capping a remarkable rise from state lawmaker and seminary student to the party’s standard-bearer in one of the key races of the 2026 midterm cycle.

With his blend of faith-based populism, bipartisan appeal and generational energy, Talarico defeated Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, a firebrand beloved by the party’s base but who struggled to dispel concerns that she could defeat a Republican in a state that has not elected a Democrat statewide in more than 30 years.

A jubilant Talarico told supporters in Austin before the race was called: “We are not just trying to win an election. We are trying to fundamentally change our politics. And it’s working.”

  • dylanmorgan@slrpnk.net
    27·
    20 hours ago

    The other good news is that Cornyn and Paxton are headed to a runoff, so they can beat the shit out of each other while Talarico campaigns for the general.

    • Thunderbird4@lemmy.world
      4·
      10 hours ago

      Looks like that situation might change. Apparently trump has been “truthing” that he’s going to endorse one of them and ask the other to step down instead of letting it go to a runoff, and obviously his choice is going to be Paxton. You know, just normal democracy things where the king picks the winner instead of the people.

      • GlendatheGayWitch@lemmy.world
        3·
        10 hours ago

        Hopefully the fact that the republican party impeached Paxton will help turn people away from voting for him. He also famously committed fraud while in office. Even if they don’t vote for Talarico, less voters for Paxton is a good thing.