James Talarico projected to win Texas Democratic Senate primary
#James Talarico #Jasmine Crockett #Texas Senate Primary #Democratic Primary #Runoff Election #Campaign Finance #Midterm Elections #Texas Politics
📌 Key Takeaways
- James Talarico projected to win Texas Democratic Senate primary, avoiding a runoff
- The race has become the most expensive primary in Texas history
- Democrats haven't won a statewide race in Texas since 1994
- Talarico raised $2.5 million in 24 hours after a controversy with CBS's 'The Late Show'
- Over 1.5 million votes were cast in the Democratic primary during early voting
📖 Full Retelling
Texas Rep. James Talarico has been projected by CBS News to win the Democratic Senate primary in Texas on March 4, 2026, defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett and securing enough votes to avoid a runoff in what could be one of the most closely watched races in this year's midterms. The victory sets up a general election matchup against either incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn or conservative Attorney General Ken Paxton, who will face each other in a May 26 Republican primary runoff. This Senate primary has already become the most expensive in state history, highlighting deep divisions within both parties. Crockett, a former public defender who has gained national attention for her confrontational approach to Republicans, positioned herself as a fighter appealing to the Democratic base. In contrast, Talarico, a former middle school teacher and current minister-in-training, focused his campaign on what he termed the 'politics of love' and inclusivity. Democrats have not won a statewide race in Texas since 1994, but the party has been optimistic about flipping this Senate seat since Beto O'Rourke's near-victory against GOP Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018. The race gained additional attention after Republicans in the state legislature redrew congressional districts under President Trump's influence, leading Democrats to flee the state in protest. Despite the candidates agreeing on many policy issues, the campaign devolved into a personality clash, with both candidates running combative ads and barnstorming the state with different styles.
🏷️ Themes
Political Strategy, Party Divisions, Campaign Finance, Texas Politics
📚 Related People & Topics
Jasmine Crockett
American politician and lawyer (born 1981)
Jasmine Felicia Crockett (born March 29, 1981) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Texas's 30th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she represented the 100th district in the Texas House of Representatives from 2021 to 2023. Born in St.
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James Talarico
American politician (born 1989)
James Dell Talarico ( TA-luh-REE-koh; born May 17, 1989) is an American politician, Presbyterian seminarian, and former public school teacher serving since 2018 as a member of the Texas House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, Talarico has been called a "rising star" among Texas D...
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Original Source
Politics James Talarico projected to win Texas Democratic Senate primary, defeating Jasmine Crockett By Caroline Linton Caroline Linton Associate Managing Editor, Politics Caroline Linton is an associate managing editor on the political team for CBSNews.com. She has previously written for The Daily Beast, Newsweek and amNewYork. Read Full Bio Caroline Linton Updated on: March 4, 2026 / 2:51 AM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Texas Rep. James Talarico will win the U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Texas, CBS News projects, defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett and securing enough votes to avoid a runoff in what could be one of the most closely watched races in this year's midterms. He will face either incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn or conservative Attorney General Ken Paxton, who will face off in a May 26 Republican primary runoff. The state's Senate primary is already the most expensive primary in history. For both Republicans and Democrats, the races are highlighting deep divisions within the party. For Democrats, Crockett, a former public defender, has made national headlines for taking on President Trump and other Republicans, branding herself a fighter and appealing to the party's base. Talarico, a former middle school teacher and a Presbyterian minister-in-training, has focused his message on "politics of love" and inclusivity. Democrats have not won a statewide race in Texas since 1994, but the party has been eyeing flipping the Senate seat since Beto O'Rourke came within three points of defeating GOP Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018. Democrats feel Republicans this year are even more vulnerable in Texas given the expensive and nasty GOP primary between longtime Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton. But Democrats have struggled to unify behind a single candidate. Several high-profile Democrats were rumored to be considering a bid, including O'Rourke, Rep. Joaquin Castro and former Rep. Colin Allred. Allred, who challenged Cruz in 2024, jumped in the rac...
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