LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and State Representative James Talarico are hoping to earn Lubbock voters’ support as the March 3 Primary draws closer.
A new survey from the University of Texas’ Texas Politics Project shows Congresswoman Crockett leading State Rep. Talarico 55% to 44% in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, with a margin of error of +/-5.1 points.
Talarico, who has represented the Austin area in the Texas House since 2018, campaigned in Lubbock on Sunday.
James Talarico, who has represented the Austin area in the Texas House since 2018, campaigned in Lubbock on Sunday.(KCBD Video)
“I’m up here in the Panhandle, up here in Lubbock because I want to be a Senator for this part of the state,” Talarico said. “You don’t always see Democrats coming out here and I hope it shows the people here in Lubbock that I’m serious about representing them in our nation’s capital.”
Before serving in the legislature, Talarico was a middle school teacher — an experience he said shaped much of his legislation in the Texas House. He also says it connects him with the needs of young people across the state.
“Jobs, the environment, gun safety – these are all things that affect young people in particular and are not getting the attention they need,” Talarico said. “If I’m elected, I’ll be the youngest U.S. Senator in America, and I will focus on the issues we care about.”
Though he grew up and went on to represent Austin, Talarico says he’s keenly aware of the issues facing areas like Lubbock.
“I know farmers and ranchers in Texas are hurting. These disastrous tariffs, the bailout of Argentina undercutting our ranchers. We need a Senator that’s going to fight for Texans and Texans only,” Talarico said. “That’s the kind of Senator I want to be.”
Crockett campaigned in Lubbock on Monday. She said the visit was prompted in part by a 15-year-old girl who reached out asking her to come to the city.
Jasmine Crockett campaigned in Lubbock on Monday. She said the visit was prompted in part by a 15-year-old girl who reached out asking her to come to the city.(KCBD Video)
“Having a 15-year-old reach out to me and tell me she wanted to help out on the campaign and wanted to know whether or not I could come to Lubbock — it hit me in a different way,” Crockett said.
Crockett served in the Texas House from 2021 to 2023 before winning her congressional seat representing Dallas. Her district was then redrawn this past session, prompting her run for Senate.
Crockett said she knows she’s had viral moments during her time in the U.S. House, but she wants voters to know she’s more than that.
“I actually have a ton of substance and it’s substance I’ve been working on and attempting to make sure that whatever issues Texans have, I’ve been pushing forward with,” Crockett said. “That’s what I think got us here, making sure people know me beyond what they know of me right now.”
She, too, says she’s ready to fight for rural areas like the South Plains. She said she’s focused on everyone from the producer to the consumer.
“To be able to go on a farm, a ranch, and have real conversations about what it means that the Farm Bill is three years overdue, I think it’s important to understand their struggles,” Crockett said. “We really start to see the interconnectedness more easily.”
Early voting data from the Texas Secretary of State shows about 5,600 people have voted in the Democratic primary in Lubbock County — including both in-person and mail ballots. About 8,400 Republican ballots have been cast in the county. There are more than 199,000 registered voters in Lubbock County.
Statewide, approximately 747,000 in-person and mail ballots have been cast in the Democratic primary, compared to nearly 667,000 on the Republican side. Texas has 18.6 million registered voters.
Texas holds open primaries, meaning any registered voter can choose to vote on either the Republican or Democratic ballot.
The winner of the Democratic primary will advance to the November general election. On the Republican side, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn faces multiple challengers, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Houston Congressman Wesley Hunt.
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