Ex-CNN Analyst Warns Jasmine Crockett Could Hand Texas Senate Seat To GOP

NewsNation political contributor Chris Cillizza warned on his YouTube channel Thursday that Democratic Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett running for Senate would likely hand a victory to Republicans.

Crockett said on SiriusXM’s “The Lurie Daniel Favors Show” on Wednesday that she is contemplating launching a campaign for the Senate in the 2026 midterms. Cillizza said on his channel that other Democratic candidates would be stronger general election options against the Republican field.

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“The problem is it’s very difficult for me to see how Crockett would reach out to the middle, particularly in a state like Texas where there just are not enough Democrats. Even if you get all the Democrats to vote for you, you don’t win,” Cillizza said. “So I think this would be a dream scenario for Republicans. Because I think Ken Paxton has a real chance at winning the primary against John Cornyn and Wesley Hunt. And if he does, the best chance Republicans have of keeping that seat is Jasmine Crockett as the Democratic nominee.”

“To me, there’s no question that either Colin Allred or James Talarico, or honestly maybe even Beto O’Rourke, would be a stronger general election candidate against Paxton or Cornyn or Hunt than Jasmine Crockett,” he continued.

Cillizza speculated Crockett would end up choosing not to run, arguing that talk of a campaign could help her fundraise, but polling would show her she had no chance of winning.

“But the possibility will make Democrats nationally nervous,” he said. “I do not think that is the right nominee. And what’s worse for national Democrats, I think it’s very hard to stop Jasmine Crockett winning the Democratic nomination if she does run for the Senate.”