Democratic Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett's recent appearance on "The Joy Reid Show" has sparked controversy due to her seemingly evasive response to a critical question about her Senate campaign strategy.
The query, posed by Reid, sought to understand how Crockett plans to win over President Donald Trump's voters, particularly the Latino demographic, which she previously criticized.
In a Vanity Fair profile from December 2024, Crockett controversially suggested that Latino Trump supporters harbor a "slave mentality" due to their opposition to illegal immigration. This statement raised eyebrows, and when Reid asked how Crockett intended to appeal to this demographic, the Senate hopeful's response was notably vague.
Reid questioned, "How do you flip Latino voters in a state where, I mean, nationwide, 55% of Latino men voted for Trump? Those numbers have dropped nationwide, but his people are still his people." She further noted that increasing Latino voter turnout in Texas does not necessarily translate into votes for the Democrats, as they might vote Republican.
Crockett's response was somewhat nebulous. "So, so far in polling that weve seen, when it comes down to Texans and Latinos, we only have about one fifth of them right now that are regretting their vote," she said. According to the Daily Caller, she then veered off into a discussion about the minimum wage, healthcare access, and her efforts to secure resources for a hospital in the Rio Grande Valley, without providing a clear strategy for winning over Latino Trump voters.
Crockett's most significant achievement in Congress, she argued, was not her viral 2024 clash with Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, but securing an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) location in her district. However, she failed to draw a clear connection between this accomplishment and her strategy to appeal to Latino Trump voters.
Crockett, known for her far-left stance and a series of controversies, announced her intention to challenge Republican Texas Senator John Cornyn on Monday. Her campaign has already become a subject of ridicule.
Adding to the controversy, during a Tuesday appearance on "The Lead with Jake Tapper," Crockett denied having said that Latino Trump voters have a "slave mentality," despite Tapper reading her Vanity Fair comments back to her. She also compared U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to "slave patrols" during a September appearance on "The Breakfast Club."
It's worth noting that Trump secured the majority of the Hispanic male vote in November 2024. As Crockett's campaign unfolds, her ability to effectively appeal to this demographic, given her previous comments and lack of a clear strategy, remains a question mark.
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