The Democrat primary for Texass U.S. Senate seat has devolved into a proxy war between the partys Obama-era establishment and its Kamala Harris wing, with Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas currently holding a commanding lead over Rep. James Talarico of Austin.
According to Breitbart, the contest has taken on the flavor of a Barry Obama v. Kamala Harris showdown, underscoring the ideological and generational rifts inside the Democrat Party. The primary, set for Tuesday, March 3, will determine which liberal hopeful advances to face a Republican nominee in a state that Democrats still fantasize about flipping, despite Texas voters consistent preference for conservative leadership and President Trumps America First agenda.
A University of Texas at Tyler survey conducted February 1322 among 1,117 registered voters and 959 likely voters shows Crockett with 55 percent support to Talaricos 37 percent, far beyond the polls 3.2-point margin of error. An earlier University of Houston poll from late January also found Crockett ahead, giving her an eight-point advantage and suggesting that, at least in some data, she has been the frontrunner for weeks.
Yet the polling in this Democrat primary has been erratic, reflecting a fractured base and volatile enthusiasm. One January poll showed Talarico leading by nine points, and another survey taken just last week had him up by twelve, leaving observers to wonder which snapshot, if any, accurately captures the mood of Democrat voters.
What is clear is that Kamala Harris has thrown her weight behind Crockett, using her national profile to rally the partys progressive faithful. Texas has the chance to send a fighter like Jasmine Crockett to the United States Senate, the Harris robocall tells voters in Dallas, before adding, Jasmine has the experience and record to hold Donald Trump and his billionaire cronies accountable.
Harris closes her pitch with the partisan flourish, Its time to turn Texas blue, a line that plays well with coastal liberals but remains wildly out of step with the states conservative majority. Her involvement underscores how national Democrats still view Texas as a trophy to be seized, even as their policies on the border, crime, and the economy alienate everyday Texans.
Talarico, meanwhile, has been buoyed by the old Obama machine and its media allies. Talarico also has fans in the upper echelons of the party, reports the Texas Tribune. Former President Barack Obama called Talarico a really talented young man during a podcast interview in October, a clip that Talaricos campaign has promoted more recently.
Much of the Democrat establishment appears to believe Talarico would be the stronger general-election candidate against the eventual Republican nominee, likely either incumbent Sen. John Cornyn or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who currently leads in most polls. Their calculation is that a polished, Obama-approved progressive might better mask the partys radical agenda than a Harris-aligned firebrand.
Late-night host Stephen Colbert has eagerly played his part as a loyal foot soldier for the Democrat cause, using his failing platform to boost Talarico. On his low-rated Late Show earlier this month, Colbert falsely claimed CBS barred him from hosting Talarico, when in reality the network simply reminded him of the FCCs equal time rule, which would have required him to also feature Crockett so close to the primary.
Rather than give Crockett equal exposure, Colbert concocted a censorship narrative and pushed his Talarico interview to YouTube, generating free publicity and millions in donations for the Austin Democrat. The episode allowed Colbert to posture as a victim of corporate suppression while continuing to hemorrhage money for CBSreportedly to the tune of $40 million a yearillustrating how deeply entertainment media remains invested in propping up Democrat candidates, even as viewers and voters increasingly tune them out.
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