At The Root 100 gala celebration, reporter Noah Washington found the ballroom buzzing with joy, excellence, and a sober sense of urgency.
Between performances and speeches honoring Black changemakers, Washington pulled aside Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) for a candid conversation about where the country is headed—and what’s at stake in 2026.
Crockett didn’t sugarcoat her assessment.
“The state of America in 2026,” she said, “depends on what the American people are willing to put up with.”
In a political climate defined by economic strain, rising healthcare costs, and growing fatigue among working families, Crockett argued that the nation is approaching a tipping point. Voters, she said, are not just frustrated, they’re exhausted.
“People are tired because they’re working multiple jobs,” she told Washington. “They’re sick because they’re denying people access to affordable health care.”
It was a stark reminder that the struggle many Americans face is not theoretical. It shows up at kitchen tables, in doctor’s offices, and in the quiet resignation of people doing everything right yet still falling behind.
Crockett’s message was direct: If Americans decide they’ve had enough, 2026 could trigger a political reckoning.
“If they decide that enough is enough,” she said, “then I think we will start to see a reckoning. We will start to see the tables turn.”
The congresswoman’s warning comes as both parties gear up for the 2026 midterms, an election she believes will be a referendum not just on policy, but on the country’s capacity for change. Without voter engagement, she cautioned, the problems she listed will only intensify.
“If people are not sick and tired,” she added, “then I think we’re going to continue to get sicker and more tired.”
At an event designed to honor those fighting for a better, more just America, Crockett’s words cut through the celebratory atmosphere with a sober reminder: the fight ahead may be harder than the victories behind. But, she suggested, the outcome remains in the public’s hands.
