Republicans appear to have successfully elevated their preferred Democratic opponent for the 2026 Texas Senate race, as Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett has officially entered the primary after months of behind-the-scenes maneuvering by GOP operatives.
According to a Tuesday report from NOTUS, the National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) began including Crockett’s name in internal polling in July — polling first reported by the Daily Caller News Foundation — and quickly found that she led in a hypothetical Democratic primary matchup. Seeing the results, Republicans launched a coordinated effort to push Crockett toward a campaign.
“When we saw the results, we were like, ‘OK, we got to disseminate this far and wide,’” a source familiar with the effort told NOTUS.
Republicans Saw Crockett as Their “Easiest Opponent to Beat”
NOTUS reported that Crockett was considered the GOP’s most beatable potential challenger to incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who is seeking reelection and faces a competitive primary himself against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt.
The source told NOTUS that phone calls and text messages were pushed out to high-propensity voters and Texas Democrats, urging them to pressure Crockett to enter the race.
“That was really a sustained effort that we orchestrated across the ecosystem for several months,” the source said. “Not only was it getting positive news coverage, but her office was directly having traffic driven to it in terms of phone calls urging her to run.”
NRSC Points to Crockett’s Own Remarks About Democrats’ Weak Odds
When asked about the NRSC’s involvement and internal polling, NRSC Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez pointed to Crockett’s previous comments about Democratic chances against Cornyn.
“Crockett said herself no Texas Democrat is beating John Cornyn, and the threat of her in the U.S. Senate makes it clearer now than ever that Cornyn is the only conservative who will keep Texas red and safeguard President Trump’s Senate Majority,” Rodriguez said.
Her remarks referenced Crockett’s Oct. 30 appearance on Politico’s podcast The Conversation, where she openly questioned whether any Democrat could oust Cornyn.
“I’m going to be flat out with you and tell you that I don’t think that there’s a Democrat that can take out Cornyn,” she said. Crockett added that she would only consider running if internal polling showed a viable path in the general election, stressing, “It’s not just about winning the primary. You gotta win the general.”
Democratic Field Shifts Dramatically After Crockett’s Announcement
Crockett’s entry has reshaped the Democratic landscape. Texas state Rep. James Talarico is already in the race, but former Democratic Rep. Colin Allred abruptly suspended his Senate campaign just hours before Crockett launched hers, citing a desire to avoid a damaging primary fight.
Allred instead jumped into the Democratic primary for Texas’ 33rd Congressional District — fueling tensions within the party. His decision has pushed many Democrats toward Rep. Julie Johnson, who currently represents the 32nd District but is seeking the 33rd after redistricting.
Crockett’s candidacy has sparked fresh debate among Democrats about their prospects of flipping the Senate in 2026, and whether her nomination would strengthen or weaken the party in a state still dominated by Republicans.
Crockett Leans Into Trump Attacks in First Ad
Crockett launched her campaign with an ad featuring President Donald Trump calling her a “low IQ person” and mocking her rising profile within the Democratic Party — messaging she appears to be using to rally progressive voters and frame herself as a fighter against Trump-aligned Republicans.
READ NEXT: Texas Firebrand Jasmine Crockett Launches Senate Bid
She still has to beat out Talarico in the primary…………..and he isn’t nearly as polarizing as she is.