Texas Democrats May Have Just Chosen Their Senate Nominee – but It’s Not Over Yet

Tuesday’s Democratic Senate primary race was fraught with issues after a mishap in Dallas County.

With 63 percent of the expected vote tallied, state Rep. James Talarico appears to have won the nomination. However, a mishap occurred in Dallas County, where Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) resides, when a judge extended the time to vote by two hours because voters did not have the proper information about where to vote.

The reason for the confusion is that the county abruptly switched back to precinct-only, party separate, Election Day voting after years of countywide voting center and joint primaries. It appears the county failed to communicate the change to voters.

James Talarico leads Jasmine Crockett by about five points with 63 percent of the vote in.

Crockett says we may not know the true results until tomorrow after a judge had to extend the voting deadline by two hours because voters did not know where they cast their ballots. pic.twitter.com/5Up2PEJpET

— Jeff Charles, Asker of Questions🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) March 4, 2026

Crockett addressed her supporters later in the evening, saying that voters would not know the final outcome until the next day because of the mixup.

“We’re not going to have election results tonight, in my opinion, based upon what specifically is taking place in Dallas County,” the lawmaker said.

Crockett accused Republicans of targeting her district. “Unfortunately, this is what Republicans like to do,” she said. “They specifically targeted Dallas County, and I think we all know why. I want you to enjoy yourselves, but I won’t be back tonight because I have no idea of when we’re going to get results, and I fully anticipate it won’t be until tomorrow.”

Breaking: Jasmine Crockett Storms Out of Her Own Event Saying “They Cheated!”—Accuses Republicans of Rigging Votes in High-Black Areas After Brutal Defeat? pic.twitter.com/BQatKSAWcR

— Roberto Gil (@RbtGil) March 4, 2026

Despite Crockett’s allegations against Republicans, Dallas County is run by Democrats who would be in charges of Election Day voting decisions.

The Texas Democratic Senate primary race was one of the most closely watched races of 2026 — especially among Democrats who believe they might have a shot at flipping a seat in a state that has not had a Democratic senator since 1988.

In the final days leading up to the primary election, polls largely favored Crockett, but several indicated that the two candidates were running neck-and-neck.

A University of Texas/Texas Politics Project survey placed Crockett ahead of Talarico 56 percent to 44 percent. Another late poll from Emerson College/Nexstar showed Talarico ahead 52 percent to 47 percent. 

A YouGov survey published on Monday gave Talarico a 13 point lead over Crockett, 53 percent to 40 percent. Talarico consistently led Crockett among white and Hispanic Democratic voters while Crockett dominated the field among black voters and older Democrats.

Talarico sold himself as a policy-driven moderate who can appeal to independents and disaffected Republicans. He often touted his victory in flipping a red Texas State House district. However, Crockett had far more name recognition due to her national profile and her viral clashes with Republicans on the House Oversight Committee. She has relied more on her national recognition than policy. Indeed, her campaign website featured no policy positions in early February.

Early in the campaign season, Rep. Colin Allred seemed to be the favorite. But he later bowed out of the race shortly after Crockett entered.

The race intensified after a series of controversies arose. In January, a former Talarico supporter claimed he referred to Allred as a “mediocre black man” during a private conversation. Allred clapped back in a video. Talarico denied making the remarks, saying they were taken out of context and that he was merely referring to Allred’s campaign.

Another controversy involved Talarico’s late-night TV appearance with alleged comedian Stephen Colbert. The interview was not aired on public airwaves, but CBS put it on its YouTube channel to avoid running afoul of the FCC’s equal time requirements for candidate interviews.

Both campaigns leaned heavily into the digital sphere. Talarico amassed a significant following on TikTok while Crockett relied more on X clips from her viral remarks during media appearances and House hearings.

The outcome of the race reveals which messaging approach Democratic voters deem the most effective.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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