Jasmine Crockett Concedes to James Talarico in Texas Democratic Senate Primary

State Rep. James Talarico defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Texas, emerging victorious with a populist, faith-based message. The race was called around 3 a.m. EST. Crockett conceded Wednesday morning, calling for Democratic unity.

The Concession

In a statement Wednesday morning, Crockett said she had called Talarico to congratulate him on winning the nomination. “Texas is primed to turn blue and we must remain united because this is bigger than any one person,” Crockett said.

“This is about the future of all 30 million Texans and getting America back on track,” she added. “With the primary behind us, Democrats must rally around our nominees and win. I’m committed to doing my part and will continue working to elect Democrats up and down the ballot.”

The Final Results

As of Wednesday morning, Talarico was leading with 53% to Crockett’s 46%, avoiding a May runoff in the Democratic race seen as a test of how best to approach a Senate run in red Texas. A third candidate, Ahmad Hassan, received just 1.3% of the vote.

How Talarico Won

Talarico dominated the campaign finance struggle, outraising not only Crockett but even the incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn. Crockett had raised $8.6 million. Talarico had raised $20.7 million.

Beginning with much lower name recognition than Crockett, Talarico made it a point to campaign in even the reddest parts of the state, putting forth a populist, faith-based message of a “politics of love” that he argued could counter division and form a winning coalition. He also got a surge of exposure and financial backing at the start of early voting after his appearance on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert.

What the Race Was Really About

Crockett and Talarico were generally aligned on policy, and both rose to prominence in large part through social media, making the race largely about stylistic and strategic differences.

Talarico expressed concern about Crockett’s assertion that she wouldn’t need to win over Trump voters in a state that backed Trump by 13 percentage points in 2024 — that she would instead seek to expand the electorate by turning out new voters. That approach resonated with a majority of Democratic primary voters Tuesday, who chose his offering of a political reset over Crockett’s promise to unapologetically wage partisan warfare against the GOP.

Voting Controversy on Election Night

Voting issues in Dallas — Crockett’s home base — and in Talarico’s home base of Williamson County led to confusion and voters being turned away from polling locations. Crockett’s campaign said Tuesday night she planned to sue over the voting issues in Dallas, but on Wednesday morning she conceded the race to Talarico instead.

What Comes Next for Talarico

Talarico faces an uphill battle in the general election in a Republican-dominated state where Democrats have gone three decades without winning a statewide race. He will face either U.S. Sen. John Cornyn or state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who advanced to a Republican runoff on Tuesday.

The question for Talarico heading into the general election is whether he can generate enthusiasm from voters who opted for Crockett because they saw her as the more aggressive fighter against Trump. Republicans’ Senate campaign arm cited internal polling showing Cornyn beating Talarico by 3 points but Paxton losing to Talarico by 1 point.

Some top Democrats congratulated Talarico even before the race was officially called. “Senator Talarico has a nice ring to it. And we’re all-in to make it a reality,” said Sen. Adam Schiff of California.

This article is for informational purposes only. For official election results, visit the Texas Secretary of State at sos.state.tx.us.

Last Updated: March 4, 2026 | AllAboutLawyer.com

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Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
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