Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett is moving closer to a potential Senate bid, taking steps that suggest a serious campaign could be on the horizon. She has begun spending significant funds on polling and has met with a potential campaign manager, signaling that she is actively assessing her chances in a crowded Democratic primary.
In a recent episode of POLITICO’s “The Conversation” with Dasha Burns, Crockett said she is “seriously weighing” a run to replace GOP Sen. John Cornyn. The polling is intended to gauge her standing among Democratic voters and test her viability against potential primary opponents.
“I am seriously weighing it, to the extent that I’m about to spend a lot of money to get data,” Crockett said, emphasizing that the process is still in its early stages.
Since entering Congress in 2023, Crockett has raised her profile through high-profile and often contentious attacks on Republican figures, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and former President Donald Trump. Her confrontational style has made her a frequent target of Trump’s criticism, but she says name recognition alone is not enough to mount a serious statewide campaign.
“I don’t think that we have the luxury, especially with such an early primary, of actually doing what we normally do, which — we spend about $100 million to get someone’s name ID up,” Crockett said. “But the way that I look at elections is that that’s just first base.”
Crockett also revealed that she has held “multiple conversations” with a potential campaign leader, though she did not identify the individual. She acknowledged the challenge of unseating Cornyn, noting he would be a tougher general election opponent than GOP rivals such as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton or Rep. Wesley Hunt.
“If Crockett enters the race, she would join state Rep. James Talarico and former Rep. Colin Allred in the Democratic primary, while former Reps. Beto O’Rourke and Joaquin Castro have left open the possibility of Senate bids. Democrats will likely need to capture this seat to improve their chances of regaining control of the Senate.
Crockett described her political brand as focused on advocating for “vulnerable” Americans and fighting for the American dream. “We don’t necessarily need all this machismo directed at some of the most vulnerable people. What we need is people that are going to be strong and fight for the most vulnerable amongst us,” she said, highlighting the values she hopes will resonate with Texas voters.
