Texas U.S. Senate race draws national attention as Democratic candidates blitz North Texas

The race for U.S. Senate in Texas is intensifying and making national headlines, as all major Republican and Democratic candidates sweep across the state. Over the past two weeks, every candidate has made campaign stops in North Texas, and CBS Texas Political Reporter Jack Fink was the only North Texas journalist to attend all events and speak with each of the five leading candidates.

Democrats Gain National Spotlight

The two Democrats vying for the nomination, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and State Representative James Talarico of Austin, have drawn significant national attention, particularly Talarico following a viral moment last week.

Talarico’s Viral Interview Spurs Fundraising Surge

Talarico’s appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ignited a wave of online interest, triggering a spike in Google searches and propelling him into the national political conversation. His campaign says that within the first 24 hours of the interview going viral, he raised $2.5 million.

At a rally on Tuesday, Talarico criticized former President Donald Trump and the FCC, accusing them of attempting to restrict expression.

“These are the same people who ran against cancel culture and now they’re trying to control what we watch, what we say, what we read,” Talarico said. “This is the most dangerous kind of cancel culture, the kind that comes from the top.”

A University of Houston poll released earlier this month shows Crockett leading Talarico 47% to 39%, an eight‑point advantage. However, the Real Clear Politics average of polls from January 10–31 shows a statistical tie, with both candidates at 41%.

Talarico Positions Himself as Underdog

Speaking last week at the University of North Texas in Denton before hundreds of supporters, Talarico cast himself as the underdog in the race. He leaned heavily into themes criticizing billionaires and what he described as their disproportionate influence on society, blaming them for fueling divisions across the political spectrum.

He also spoke with CBS Texas about the state of the race during a one‑on‑one interview.

Crockett Rallies in Fort Worth, Predicts Major Flip

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett has also been crisscrossing the state, including multiple stops in North Texas.

During a rally in Fort Worth on Thursday, she addressed hundreds of supporters and urged Democrats to work collectively up and down the ballot. She argued that unified turnout could flip multiple Republican‑held districts in November.

Crockett also made a bold prediction about Tarrant County, the largest reliably Republican county in Texas and in the U.S.:

“I think this is Tarrant County’s actual year that they flip,” Crockett said. 

After the event, Crockett spoke with Jack Fink about the status of her campaign in a one‑on‑one interview.

Campaign Spending Shows Sharp Divide

Advertising dollars have poured into the Democratic primary — but not evenly.

According to Ad Impact Politics:

Talarico’s campaign and supporting PACs have spent more than $15 million.Crockett’s campaign and allied groups have spent nearly $3 million.No Runoff Expected

Despite the competitive nature of the race, political analysts say a runoff is not expected in the Democratic primary.

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