Steven Sloan, A.P., on the primary differences between James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett

[Miles Archer]

It's one writer's opinion...take it as that, form your own opinions, decide how relevant this is to the midterms.

Takeaways from the first elections of the 2026 midterm campaigns
STEVEN SLOAN AP
Updated Tue, March 3, 2026 at 12:02 AM EST

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/mess-texas-watch-tuesdays-primaries-050220024.html

By rallying behind Talarico, the party sided with someone who pledged to change Washington while finding consensus.

The 36-year-old state representative’s win over Crockett cements his status as a rising star and will likely make him one of Democrats' most prominent candidates this year. He campaigned with denunciations of “politics as a blood sport” and an insistence that people want “a return to more timeless values of sincerity and honesty and compassion and respect.”

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Crockett argued that Democrats need to focus on energizing their base, betting that motivated voters in metropolises like Houston and Dallas could swamp Republicans. Talarico’s campaign, meanwhile, took a more expansive approach, often highlighting his faith in ways that could appeal beyond diehard Democrats.

That style is why many Republicans are worried about Talarico’s candidacy. Though a Democrat hasn’t won a statewide race in Texas since 1994, Talarico’s campaign could prove potent depending on who emerges from the Republican runoff.