Texas Senate Race Highlights Power of Political Social Media/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Texas Democrats vying for a U.S. Senate nomination are taking sharply different approaches to social media. Rep. Jasmine Crockett leans into viral confrontations, while state Rep. James Talarico emphasizes faith and policy-driven messaging. The race reflects broader questions about how Democrats hope to flip a longtime Republican stronghold.
Texas Senate Social Media Battle: Quick Looks
- Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico face off in Democratic primary
- Crockett’s viral jabs fuel national attention
- Talarico blends policy arguments with Christian faith
- Social media central to fundraising and voter outreach
- Race could signal Democrats’ future strategy in Texas
- GOP uncertainty boosts Democratic optimism
Deep Look: Texas Senate Race Highlights Power of Political Social Media
Texas Democrats’ race for the U.S. Senate has become a test case for how political influence is built in the digital age, with two candidates using starkly different social media strategies to capture attention — and define the party’s future direction in the state.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Dallas-area Democrat, has become a viral sensation through sharp-tongued exchanges and unapologetic confrontations with Republicans, including President Donald Trump. Her most-watched TikTok clip — a five-second exchange in which she responds to a question about billionaire Elon Musk with a vulgar phrase — has been viewed more than 20 million times.
By contrast, state Rep. James Talarico of Austin has built his online following around longer, reflective videos that blend progressive economic arguments with Christian theology. His most popular TikTok clip, an 88-second speech arguing that billionaires — not minorities — are undermining American democracy, has been watched more than 15 million times.
The two Democrats will face each other in the party’s March 3 primary, with the winner taking on a Republican Party that has dominated statewide races in Texas for decades. Democrats see the contest as an early indicator of whether blunt, viral confrontation or values-based persuasion is the better formula for statewide success.
“I think their voting records would be almost identical,” said Allison Campolo, the Democratic Party chair in Fort Worth’s home county. “But their style of politics is completely different.”
Crockett, 44, is a former public defender and civil rights attorney who served in the Texas House before winning her congressional seat in 2022. Her supporters argue that her confrontational style energizes voters of color and younger Democrats who are often disengaged from traditional politics.
Her rise accelerated after several heated congressional exchanges went viral, including a 2024 hearing clash with then-Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, where Crockett fired back at a personal insult with one of her own. While moments like that have fueled her popularity, they have also drawn criticism. A video in which she referred to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott using a nickname tied to his wheelchair sparked backlash, which Crockett later said was aimed at Abbott’s migrant transportation policies, not his disability.
Crockett has embraced the controversy, saying during her only debate so far with Talarico that she is “not about politics as usual” and is willing to defy consultants in order to cut through political noise.
Talarico, 36, presents himself as a contrast. A former middle school teacher who is training to become a Presbyterian minister, he has represented an Austin-area district since 2018. His social media presence often features Bible verses, moral arguments and pointed critiques of Republican policies on education, immigration and economic inequality.
In one widely shared post, Talarico criticized a Texas proposal to require teachers to display the Ten Commandments, noting that lawmakers were voting on the Sabbath — itself a violation of those commandments. He later clarified that the comment accompanied a video but was not spoken in it.
Talarico’s approach briefly came under scrutiny this week after a social media influencer alleged he had privately called former Rep. Colin Allred, the Democrats’ 2024 Senate nominee, “mediocre.” Talarico called the allegation a mischaracterization of a private conversation.
The stakes of the primary extend beyond style. Democrats believe conditions may finally be shifting in Texas. Republicans may replace four-term Sen. John Cornyn with Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose legal troubles could complicate a general election. Rep. Wesley Hunt is also seeking the GOP nomination.
Democrats have been buoyed by recent election wins since Trump returned to office, including a Texas state Senate special election, fueling hope that the party’s decades-long drought in statewide races could end.
Social media plays a central role in that optimism. Crockett has amassed more than 2 million TikTok followers, while Talarico has about 1.5 million. Their digital reach has translated into fundraising success: Crockett has raised about $6.5 million so far, much of it transferred from her House campaign, while Talarico has collected more than $13 million.
Political analysts say platforms like TikTok, Instagram and X allow candidates to test messages instantly, raise money nationally and bypass traditional gatekeepers.
“You can communicate as often as you want, in whatever format you want,” said Pinar Yildirim, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Others note that social media allows Senate candidates to connect with donors far beyond their home state.
As the primary approaches, Democrats nationwide are watching closely. Whether Texas voters respond more to Crockett’s viral confrontations or Talarico’s faith-driven appeals could shape how the party campaigns not only in Texas — but across the country.
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