Political fault lines in Texas shifted again on Monday as Rep. Jasmine Crockett appeared poised to jump into the U.S. Senate race, triggering a cascade of decisions, withdrawals, and behind-the-scenes maneuvering ahead of the state’s filing deadline.
According to Fox News, while Crockett has kept her final decision close, the activity surrounding her has signaled a dramatic reshaping of the Democratic field.
Hours before her scheduled announcement, former Rep. Colin Allred abruptly exited the Senate race and said he would instead run for his old House seat.
His departure leaves state Rep. James Talarico as the lone remaining Democrat officially in the contest — at least until Crockett submits her paperwork.
Crockett has repeatedly suggested she is leaning toward a statewide run.
Over the weekend, she told CNN she had prepared “two cashier checks,” one for a Senate bid and one for House re-election. Her final decision is set to drop just 90 minutes before the deadline.
She has also acknowledged commissioning polling and said she shared her results directly with Allred and Talarico. Her expected move would instantly reorder a race already drawing national attention, with Democrats pushing to wrest control of the Senate next year.
On the Republican side, Sen. John Cornyn faces a fierce primary that includes Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt.
The GOP race appears volatile, with the candidates attacking each other from multiple directions and the possibility of a runoff looming if no one clears 50%.
Allred, who ran unsuccessfully for the Senate last cycle, said he bowed out because a divisive primary would weaken Democrats at a critical moment. He warned that a bruising fight would hurt efforts to defeat the eventual GOP nominee.
“In the past few days, I’ve come to believe that a bruising Senate Democratic primary and runoff would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers, Paxton, Cornyn, or Hunt,” Allred wrote.
Crockett’s rise from civil rights attorney to viral heavyweight has made her a prominent figure in Democratic politics. She won her Dallas-area House seat in 2022 and quickly built a national profile with her fiery exchanges on Capitol Hill and her high-volume clashes with Republicans — including Trump, who has frequently targeted her online.
But that notoriety cuts both ways. Her attacks on conservatives, including repeatedly comparing Trump to Adolf Hitler and mocking Gov. Greg Abbott as “Gov. Hot Wheels,” have drawn criticism even from some within her party and could make a statewide race in deep-red Texas more challenging.
Crockett has nonetheless gained favor in key Democratic circles. She was personally mentored by then–Vice President Kamala Harris, who wrote about her in her memoir, and she earned a speaking slot at last year’s Democratic National Convention.
Her potential move also intersects with major redistricting upheaval.
The Supreme Court recently upheld new GOP-drawn congressional lines that shift several districts to the right. Rep. Marc Veasey, whose district was dramatically altered, was reportedly discussing a coordinated plan with Crockett in which he would seek her House seat if she vacated it for a Senate run.
Republicans are watching closely. Some strategists believe a Crockett nomination would boost their chances of holding the seat, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee even funded a Democratic primary poll earlier this year that showed her with a double-digit lead — a signal they see her as the most vulnerable potential opponent.
If Crockett files her paperwork today, the dynamics of the Texas Senate race will change instantly — and the fight for one of the nation’s most closely watched seats will enter a new and unpredictable phase.
