An emotional Jasmine Crockett fought back tears many times as she reflected on the long, uphill road that brought her from an underfunded grassroots campaign to the brink of securing a major political milestone in Texas.
Speaking to supporters at a small coffee shop gathering, Crockett recounted how, just six years ago, many doubted she could win even her first race.
“Six years ago, no one believed that I could become a state representative,” she said, her voice shaking. “We were outspent five to one… people said there’s no way she’s going to win.”
From Longshot to Front-Runner
Today, Crockett’s political fortunes have dramatically shifted. She is now widely seen as a leading contender in the Texas Senate Democratic primaries, with recent polling showing her ahead of the expected Republican challenger in a race drawing national attention.
Her rise, she told supporters, was powered not by money or establishment backing but by community support and relentless grassroots work.
“I went from being the kid that no one thought could do it — knocking doors, putting door hangers at apartment complexes, doing everything I could,” she said. “Every vote counted. We made people believe that every single vote mattered.”
A Campaign Shaped by Crisis
Crockett said one of the defining moments of her early campaign came during the protests that followed the 2020 killing of George Floyd.
Rather than focus solely on fundraising calls during the pandemic, she chose to join demonstrators and provide legal assistance to those arrested.
“There were hundreds of protesters arrested in Dallas County,” she said. “We represented them pro bono. No one ended up with a conviction. We just did what we wanted to do — which was to help the people.”
She said that decision ultimately strengthened trust in her leadership.
“The people saw that,” Crockett told supporters. “There were people who said, ‘We want to help you win because we believe in you.’”
Staying True Under Pressure
Crockett also spoke about pressure she faced to change her approach as her political profile grew.
“Along the road, they told me, ‘Jasmine, you’re going to have to change,’” she said. “But what got me here was standing with people — and that’s what I’m going to keep doing.”
Now, as she stands “on the cusp” of becoming the Democratic nominee in a closely watched Senate contest, Crockett said her journey is proof of the power of grassroots organizing and persistence.
“This happened because of people,” she said. “Because of belief. Because of community.”
