Crockett, Talarico to face off in first Texas Senate primary debate
by Julia Mueller - 01/24/26 6:00 AM ET
Texas Democrats Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico are set for a Saturday showdown in the first debate of their closely watched Senate primary.
The stakes are high for both campaigns, as new polling shows Talarico with a single-digit lead over Crockett, whose entry into the race last month added a new layer to the party’s long-shot hopes of winning in the red state.
Just weeks before squaring off in a March primary, the rivals will have to make their case for statewide electability on the debate stage as they race to replace incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R), who faces his own tough challenge in the GOP primary.
The debate, hosted by the Texas AFL-CIO, will serve as an early test of whether either Crockett or Talarico can “capture lightning in a bottle this year,” said Jon Taylor, the University of Texas at San Antonio’s department chair of political science.
“Either Talarico or Crockett needs to be emphasizing this: that they know that they’re in trouble, folks, and … [saying] ‘I’m the person to get us over the top and get a victory in the state, to strike a blow against Trump, strike a blow against MAGA,’” Taylor said.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5703923-texas-senate-democrats-primary-debate-crockett-talarico/
