{"id":2575848,"date":"2026-03-04T01:41:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T06:41:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/talarico-leads-crockett-in-texas-senate-democratic-primary\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T01:43:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T06:43:35","slug":"talarico-leads-crockett-in-texas-senate-democratic-primary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/talarico-leads-crockett-in-texas-senate-democratic-primary\/","title":{"rendered":"Talarico leads Crockett in Texas Senate Democratic primary"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftalarico-leads-crockett-in-texas-senate-democratic-primary%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2575848&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In Texas,state Rep. James Talarico appears to lead Democratic Senate hopeful Jasmine Crockett in the party primary,but the race was too close to call on Tuesday night amid voting-issue disputes in Dallas County. The Associated Press reported Talarico holding about 53% to Crockett\u2019s 45.7% with 79% of the vote counted, as supporters watched for an official call.<\/p>\n<p>Dallas County\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >voting-hours controversy\u2014prompting<\/a> the Texas Supreme Court to halt an extension to 9 p.m. and require separation of ballots cast by those not in line by 7 p.m.\u2014could delay the final results, given the county\u2019s expected large share of Democratic votes. Crockett warned the dispute could complicate determining which ballots qualify, potentially stalling overall results.<\/p>\n<p>The contest marks Democrats\u2019 first major Senate battleground in the 2026 cycle and tests different strategies for statewide success in Texas. Talarico, who emphasizes a faith-centered message and has campaigned in more Republican-leaning areas, competes with Crockett, who relies on her national profile and mobilization of Black voters in Dallas and Houston. Financially, talarico had outspent Crockett on TV by more than 4-to-1 by late February, and a spread of fundraising followed a high-profile online moment after CBS declined to air a Colbert interview, which his team said spurred a rapid fundraising surge. Polls in early March showed talarico leading in RealClearPolitics averages and other surveys.<\/p>\n<p>The winner will face the Republican nominee in November for the seat currently held by Sen. John Cornyn.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Talarico leads Crockett in Texas Senate Democratic primary<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2515988\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>State Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/james-talarico\/\">James Talarico <\/a>is ahead in the Democratic primary for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/senate\/\" type=\"category\" id=\"84\">Senate<\/a> in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/texas\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"253\">Texas<\/a>, with the race too close to call as of Tuesday night amid controversy of voting issues in Dallas County. <\/p>\n<p>Talarico, a state representative from the Austin suburbs, held an early edge over Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) of Dallas in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/john-fetterman-wins-hotly-contested-pa-senate-race-against-dr-oz-projection\/\" title=\"John Fetterman Wins Hotly Contested PA ... Against Dr. Oz: Projection\">closely watched contest<\/a> that tested competing visions for how Democrats can compete statewide. The winner will face the Republican nominee in November for the seat currently held by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4479177\/crenshaw-toth-texas-gop-primary\/\">Rep. Dan Crenshaw defeated by Steve Toth in Texas GOP primary upset<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4478965\/valerie-foushee-nida-allam-north-carolina-primary\/\">Rep. Valerie Foushee declares victory in competitive primary with recount likely<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4479256\/texas-gop-senate-primary-cornyn-paxton-hunt\/\">John Cornyn to face Ken Paxton in costly Texas Senate runoff<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The Associated Press reported Talarico in front Tuesday with 79% of the vote counted. Talarico had 53% to Crockett&rsquo;s 45.7%.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Tonight, our campaign is shocking the nation,&rdquo; Talarico said as he addressed his supporters around midnight. &ldquo;We are still waiting for an official call, but we are confident in this movement we&rsquo;ve built together. Every vote must be counted.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>Speaking to supporters at her watch party Tuesday night, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4479575\/jasmine-crockett-dallas-county-vote-delay-texas-primary\/\">Crockett warned that confusion <\/a>surrounding voting hours in Dallas County could delay the final outcome.<\/p>\n<p>The Texas Supreme Court granted a request from Attorney General Ken Paxton to halt a Dallas County judge&rsquo;s order extending voting hours to 9 p.m. Central time, directing election officials to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/crockett-warns-dallas-county-vote-dispute-may-delay-texas-senate-results\/\" title=\"Crockett warns ... vote ... may ... ... ... ...\">separate ballots cast<\/a> by anyone who was not already in line by 7 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>Crockett said the ruling could complicate efforts to determine which voters qualified.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I have no idea how clerks are going to know who was in line by what time,&rdquo; Crockett said.<\/p>\n<p>Because Dallas County is expected to produce a large share of Democratic votes, Crockett said the dispute could delay the overall outcome.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In my opinion, we will not know the election results overall tonight,&rdquo; she said.<\/p>\n<p>The primary marked Democrats&rsquo; first major Senate battleground of the 2026 cycle and offered an early test of whether the party can break a decades long statewide losing streak. Democrats have not won a Senate race in Texas since 1988, and the contest underscored sharply different theories about how to expand the map in a state that President Donald Trump carried by nearly 14 percentage points in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Talarico <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4476356\/james-talarico-democrats-vision-of-faith\/\">ran on a faith-centered message<\/a>, frequently referencing Scripture and holding rallies in heavily Republican areas to broaden the Democratic coalition beyond its traditional urban base. Crockett <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4474938\/kamala-harris-records-robocall-jasmine-crockett-texas-senate-primary\/\">leaned into her national profile<\/a>, built in part on attention-grabbing clashes with Republicans, while focusing heavily on mobilizing Black voters in the Dallas and Houston regions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>At Talarico&rsquo;s watch party Tuesday night, supporters said that approach was a major reason they backed his campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Raquel Kosted, 26, said she and her partner had never donated to a political candidate before but decided to contribute after following Talarico online.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;What resonated with us was him calling out hypocrisy and trying to build bridges rather than using divisive rhetoric,&rdquo; Kosted said. &ldquo;We really liked that he led with his faith in a positive way.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Casey Hatcher, 40, said Talarico&rsquo;s rhetoric stood out because it emphasized shared values rather than ideological labels.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He speaks a very hopeful message and is very good at unifying people,&rdquo; Hatcher said. &ldquo;He talks about things like integrity and compassion in a way people across the political spectrum can connect with.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The financial dynamics of the race shifted over time. By late February, Talarico had outspent Crockett on television advertising by more than 4 to 1. He also drew national attention after CBS declined to air a taped interview with late-night host Stephen Colbert. Colbert <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4462104\/fcc-brendan-carr-hoax-colbert-talarico-interview\/\">said the network withheld the segment <\/a>over concerns about possible scrutiny from Trump&rsquo;s Federal Communications Commission. Talarico&rsquo;s campaign said it raised $2.5 million in the 24 hours after the interview was streamed online instead of airing on television.<\/p>\n<p>Polling throughout the race reflected a competitive contest. The <em>RealClearPolitics <\/em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/senate\/democratic-primary\/2026\/texas\">average<\/a> in early March showed Talarico leading 52.3% to 42.3%, with surveys from YouGov, Emerson, and Chism\/Blueprint all showing him ahead.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4479575\/jasmine-crockett-dallas-county-vote-delay-texas-primary\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4479575\/jasmine-crockett-dallas-county-vote-delay-texas-primary\/\">CROCKETT SAYS DALLAS COUNTY VOTING DISPUTE COULD DELAY TEXAS SENATE PRIMARY RESULTS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Crockett posted advantages in earlier academic polling, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uh.edu\/hobby\/primary2026\/senate.pdf\">leading by 8 points<\/a> in a late January University of Houston survey and by 12 points in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/texaspolitics.utexas.edu\/blog\/competition-remains-fierce-in-both-u-s-senate-primaries-in-texas-according-to-latest-ut-texas-politics-project-poll-2\">University of Texas poll<\/a> conducted in early to mid-February.<\/p>\n<p>Both candidates argued they were best positioned to compete in November in a state where Democrats have struggled to win statewide for more than three decades. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Talarico leads Crockett in TX Senate Democratic primary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4196,"featured_media":2575849,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26024778753012.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[47563,75025,68501,74278,73437],"class_list":["post-2575848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-crockett","tag-democratic-primary-2","tag-talarico","tag-texas-politics-2","tag-texas-senate-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26024778753012.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4196"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2575848"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575848\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2575852,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575848\/revisions\/2575852"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2575849"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2575848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2575848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2575848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}