Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett says she is edging toward a campaign for the U.S. Senate, after reviewing whether she would have a realistic path to victory.
In an appearance on MS Now, Crockett said internal data reviewed by her team suggests she would be a strong contender. She noted that the coalition that delivered key wins in the November 4 elections was powered largely by voters of color.
“The evaluation made it clear that the coalition that won the elections that took place on November 4 was heavily comprised of Black and Brown folks,” she said.
Pointing to recent voting patterns, Crockett argued that she is particularly well-positioned with those groups. “When you look at the numbers in New Jersey, Virginia, Black and Brown people showed up and voted the right way. I am the leading candidate when it comes to those specific constituencies. So it does make it to where I am very formidable regardless of what people may want to put out,” she said, adding, “I am closer to yes than I am a no.”
Crockett recently topped a poll of potential Democratic Senate contenders in Texas. The survey, conducted by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University among more than 1,600 registered voters between September 19 and October 1, found her leading with 31% support. She was followed by state Rep. James Talarico and former Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke, each at 25%, and former Rep. Colin Allred at 13%. The poll’s margin of error was +/- 2.4%.
Crockett has been increasingly open about weighing a statewide bid, saying that boosting her visibility would be an essential early step. “I don’t think that we have the luxury, especially with us having such an early primary, of actually doing what we normally do, which — we spend about $100 million to get someone’s name ID up,” she said.
In a separate interview with Politico, she acknowledged the challenge of unseating Republican Sen. John Cornyn. “I don’t think that there’s a Democrat that can take out [Cornyn],” she said, noting that any decision on her part would come late in the process. “For me, I would be making a very last-minute decision because it’s not just about winning the primary. You got to win the general.”
