Republican Mike Johnson, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, said he was “absolutely delighted” about Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett‘s decision to run for Senate in Texas.

Crockett filed the paperwork to run on Monday, initiating a campaign for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate hours before the candidate filing deadline.

Johnson and other Republicans have openly derided Crockett, with President Donald Trump calling her a “low IQ person” on many occasions.

“I think it’s one of the greatest things that’s happened to the Republican Party in a long, long time,” Johnson told reporters at a news conference Wednesday after rubbing his hands together. “I want her to have the largest, loudest microphone that she can every single day.”

Crockett has said that part of her campaign is fueled by the backlash she’s received from Republicans, noting that the president often speaks about her.

Newsweek reached out to Crockett by email Wednesday for comment.

Why It Matters

Representative Crockett’s decision to enter the 2026 Texas U.S. Senate Democratic primary has transformed the state’s political landscape, redrawing the battle lines in one of the country’s high-profile Senate contests.

The move has sparked immediate responses from leading Republican and Democratic figures, reflecting sharp partisan divides and raising the stakes ahead of the March 2026 primary.

Crockett’s entry has intensified a race already notable for its high costs and critical implications for Senate control, maximizing national attention and energizing political bases on both sides.

Her candidacy—widely viewed as polarizing due to her combative style and prior confrontations with President Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott—has become a flashpoint in debates about Democratic prospects in a state the party has not won statewide since 1988.

What To Know

Speaker Johnson made the comments when asked by a reporter during a regular press conference Wednesday, implying that he felt Crockett’s run would mean a win for Republicans in Texas.

“Absolutely delighted that Jasmine Crockett is running for Senate in Texas,” Johnson said. “She is the face of the Democratic Party. She and Mamdani, good luck with that.”

“We look forward to having that election down there. We are going to let another Republican senator in Texas,” he explained, adding, “Texas is a red state. Texas people are common sense Americans. And what Jasmine is trying to sell will not be purchased by the folks in Texas.”

Crockett filed paperwork Monday to initiate her campaign for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate hours before the candidate filing deadline.

Crockett’s move followed the withdrawal of former Representative Colin Allred from the Senate race, as he decided to pursue a newly redrawn congressional district.

Crockett will compete in the Democratic primary against state Representative James Talarico, with the contest set for March 3, 2026. The Senate run means Crockett will not seek reelection to her House seat, which she has held since 2023.

She entered Congress in 2022 after a previous term in the Texas House and built a reputation as a progressive advocate and outspoken critic of Republican leaders. She succeeded Eddie Bernice Johnson in the 30th Congressional District.

Her high-profile clashes—such as public disputes with then-President Donald Trump and local Texas officials—fueled significant fundraising and widespread media attention. However, her confrontational style has also garnered her criticism from both major parties.

The 2026 Texas Senate race is projected to be among the nation’s most competitive and expensive. The Republican primary field includes incumbent Senator John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Representative Wesley Hunt.

Observers have noted that continued party infighting could shape the general election’s outcome.

Polls indicate Crockett holds high name recognition among Democrats but also polarizing unfavorability numbers; a Change Research poll showed 84 percent name recognition and 49 percent definite opposition among state Democrats surveyed, while a University of Houston and Texas Southern University poll found her leading the Democratic primary field with 31 percent.

Crockett’s entry resulted in a reshuffling of Democratic House campaigns in North Texas. The Republican primary remains crowded, with legal controversies also impacting leading candidates such as Paxton.

Her Senate campaign is expected to focus on mobilizing Black and Latino voters—a strategy her team believes could help break the Democratic losing streak in statewide Texas elections.

What People Are Saying

Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican, on Jasmine Crockett’s Senate Run Wednesday: “Absolutely delighted that Jasmine Crockett is running for Senate in Texas. I think it’s one of the greatest things that’s happened to the Republican Party in a long, long time. She is the face of the Democratic Party. She and Mamdani, good luck with that. I want her to have the largest, loudest microphone that she can every single day. And we look forward to having that election down there. We are going to let another Republican senator in Texas. Texas is a red state. Texas people are common sense Americans. And what Jasmine is trying to sell will not be purchased by the folks in Texas.”

James Talarico, Texas State Representative and Democratic Senate candidate, said in a statement to Newsweek Monday:
“We’re building a movement in Texas—fueled by record-breaking grassroots fundraising and 10,000 volunteers who are putting in the work to defeat the billionaire megadonors and puppet politicians who have taken over our state. Our movement is rooted in unity over division—so we welcome Congresswoman Crockett into this race.”

Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, said in a statement emailed to Newsweek Monday: “Crazy Jasmine Crockett is going to lose by double digits in the general, but John Cornyn has ALREADY—nearly six months out from the runoff—stolen $40 million that should have gone to Senate races in Georgia, NC, Michigan, etc. Even after lighting all that money on fire he’s still so unpopular in Texas that he’s in third place in the primary, unless of course he’s paying for the poll. The bottom line is that John Cornyn wants to sacrifice the GOP Senate Majority by spending $100M on his losing primary race. It’s beyond selfish, but that’s just who he is.”

Colin Allred, former Texas U.S. representative and former Senate candidate, said in a statement reported by CBS Monday: “I’ve come to believe that a bruising Senate Democratic primary and runoff would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed…by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers Paxton, Cornyn, or Hunt. That’s why I’ve made the difficult decision to end my campaign for the U.S. Senate.”

What Happens Next

The Texas Democratic Senate primary will take place on March 3, 2026. Crockett and Talarico are considered the leading Democratic contenders following Allred’s departure. If no candidate receives a majority, a runoff will be held in May.

The primary’s outcome will shape Texas’s representation in the U.S. Senate and test Democratic efforts to strengthen their prospects statewide.