Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) is expected to shake up the Senate race with a Monday announcement that she plans to run for the seat that Republican John Cornyn holds. If she officially files, Crockett will face off in the March 3 Democratic primary against state Rep. James Talarico. Meanwhile, Colin Allred, who ran against Sen. Ted Cruz two years ago and had hinted at another Senate run, is exiting the race to return to the House.
Whoever emerges from the Democratic primary, and polls suggest Crockett is likely to do so, will face the winner of the GOP primary between incumbent Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt.
“Voters are looking for someone who’s unapologetic in defending our values and who is plain spoken and knows how to speak the language of the everyday person,” said Kardal Coleman, chairman of the Dallas County Democratic Party, according to the Dallas Morning News. “All of them are going to be skilled campaigners and skilled communicators, but the person who can really exemplify what it means to be a Texas Democrat is going to have the most success.”