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Two Texas Democrats Battle for Senate Nomination with Contrasting Social Media Strategies
Jasmine Crockett’s most viral TikTok moment is blunt and unapologetic: a five-second clip where she responds to a question about Elon Musk with a vulgar two-word phrase. The video has amassed over 20 million views, showcasing the Democratic congresswoman’s confrontational style.
Meanwhile, fellow Texas Democrat James Talarico has built his TikTok following with a different approach. His most popular video, viewed 15.5 million times, features an 88-second speech arguing that “the biggest division in our politics is not left versus right, it’s top versus bottom,” framing economic inequality as America’s central challenge.
These contrasting styles reflect the choice facing Texas Democratic voters in the March 3 Senate primary. Crockett, known for fiery exchanges with Republicans, stands opposite Talarico, a former teacher and seminary student who frequently quotes scripture and positions himself as a policy-focused unifier.
“I think their voting records would be identical, but their style of politics is very different, which is fascinating to watch,” said Allison Campolo, Democratic Party chair for Fort Worth’s home county.
The primary winner will determine Democrats’ strategy for breaking the Republican grip on Texas and aiding their long-shot bid to recapture the Senate majority. The race recently intensified after an influencer claimed Talarico called former Rep. Colin Allred, an unsuccessful Black Senate candidate, “mediocre” – allegations Talarico, who is white, called a “mischaracterization.”
Democrats see an opportunity in Texas despite not winning a Senate race there since 1988. Republicans may nominate state Attorney General Ken Paxton, popular with Trump’s base but plagued by legal troubles, or potentially unseat four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. Recent Democratic victories, including a special election for Texas state Senate last month, have raised hopes this could be their breakthrough year.
Crockett, 44, brings experience as a former public defender and civil rights attorney who served two years in the Texas House before winning a congressional seat in 2022. Her supporters believe she can energize voters of color, a crucial Democratic constituency.
Talarico, 36, offers a different appeal as a former middle school teacher training to become a Presbyterian minister. His supporters argue his openness about his Christian faith could attract a broader coalition of Texas voters.
Both candidates have built impressive social media followings. Crockett’s 2.2 million TikTok followers place her among the platform’s most-followed members of Congress, behind only a few representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Her confrontational style gained national attention after a May 2024 exchange with then-Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who criticized Crockett’s “fake eyelashes.” Crockett responded with a barb about Greene’s “bleach-blonde, bad-built butch body.”
While these moments have raised her profile, they’ve occasionally sparked controversy. After referring to wheelchair-using Texas Governor Greg Abbott as “Governor Hot Wheels,” Crockett claimed she was referencing his policy of transporting migrants from Texas to other U.S. cities.
“I think that I will do the edgy things, the things that the political consultants will never tell you to do,” Crockett acknowledged during a debate with Talarico.
Talarico, with 1.5 million TikTok followers, argues Democrats cannot win “with the same old politics of division.” His viral content often features him questioning Republican policies through a religious lens, like pointing out lawmakers were working on the Sabbath to pass a Ten Commandments bill. “Maybe they should try following the Ten Commandments before mandating them,” he wrote in one post.
Talarico has pursued longer-format conversations, including a 2.5-hour interview with Joe Rogan, who endorsed Trump in 2024. After their conversation, Rogan suggested Talarico should run for president.
These digital strategies serve multiple purposes beyond attention-grabbing. “You can communicate as often as you want at the times that you prefer and you can vary the format,” explained Pinar Yildirim, a University of Pennsylvania marketing professor.
Jennifer Stromer-Galley, who studies digital campaigns at Syracuse University, notes candidates use social media to test messaging and drive supporters to their websites. “Now they can do it in much more fine-grained, real-time ways,” she said.
The approach also helps fundraising. Crockett raised $642,000 in her campaign’s first week, accumulating $6.5 million overall. Talarico collected $1.2 million in his first week, reaching over $13 million in contributions.
“You don’t have to be on the ground to see Jasmine or James on social media,” observed Mike Doyle, Democratic chair for Austin’s home county, highlighting how digital reach helps both candidates tap national donor networks crucial for a competitive Texas Senate race.
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8 Comments
Interesting to see how social media is shaping this Texas Senate race. The contrasting styles of the two Democratic candidates – one fiery and confrontational, the other more unifying and policy-focused – could make for a lively primary. It will be fascinating to see which approach resonates more with voters.
Jasmine Crockett’s viral TikTok clip showcases her blunt and unapologetic style, while James Talarico aims for a more unifying message focused on economic inequality. Curious to see if voters respond better to fire-and-brimstone or a more conciliatory tone.
Indeed, the choice between Crockett’s confrontational approach and Talarico’s scriptural framing could be an interesting litmus test for Texas Democrats.
Social media’s impact on this race is undeniable. It will be interesting to see if Crockett’s viral moments or Talarico’s policy-driven messaging resonates more with primary voters. The contrast in styles is certainly attention-grabbing.
It’s fascinating to see how social media is influencing this Texas Senate primary. The contrasting styles of Crockett and Talarico – one fiery, the other more conciliatory – could make for a spirited campaign. I’ll be curious to see which approach resonates more with primary voters.
Absolutely, the outcome of this race could provide valuable insights into the role of social media in shaping political discourse and voter engagement.
This race highlights how social media has become a critical battleground in modern campaigns. Crockett’s viral moments and Talarico’s scriptural framing are both aimed at mobilizing their base, but which approach will prove more effective with Texas Dem voters?
As someone interested in Texas politics, I’m curious to see how this primary plays out. The differing social media strategies of the two candidates – Crockett’s confrontational style vs Talarico’s unifying message – could really shape the dynamics of the race.