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.”

  • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
    3·
    18 hours ago

    From supporters of hers I hear that she will fight Trump. Which I tend to follow up with, so what will she do once Trump is no longer in office. It’s clear very few seem to be thinking that far.

    • TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world
      6·
      17 hours ago

      Yeah she had this clap back thing going on, but when you look at her actual responses, its all style commentary. Her policy positions show her to be pro-Israel in the same ways as Trump. Carte-blanche effectively.

      As an aside, here is the candidate who just took her seat (this was from October 8th 2023):

      And its an extremely safe blue seat, thanks to dummy-mandering.

      I’d call that an upgrade.