James Talarico pulled off what is sure to be a controversial upset on Tuesday, defeating Jasmine Crockett in the Texas Democratic Senate primary. It was a contest marred by bitter infighting. Talarico faced credible accusations of racism, but still prevailed thanks to a billionaire-funded, establishment-approved, and media-facilitated push to brand Crockett as "unelectable." Many considered that code for black and proud.
Journalists and other Democratic elites fawned over Talarico, a state senator with the looks and demeanor of a fifth-grade boy giving an oral report for extra credit. They adored his "aw shucks, why can't we all just get along?" routine. In glowing profile after glowing profile, they marveled at his Christianity-themed rhetoric. (He once declared that "God is non-binary" while arguing that men should be allowed to compete in women's sports.) Former president Barack Obama called him a "terrific, talented young man." He was Beto O'Rourke 2.0—a new and improved version of the liberal darling who could "finally turn Texas blue" by appealing to normal Americans.
Meanwhile, a billionaire-funded super PAC linked to Talarico—who repeatedly assailed the influence of billionaire-funded super PACs—relentlessly attacked Crockett on the airwaves. The Lone Star Rising PAC, started by a longtime friend of Talarico just days before the candidate launched his Senate campaign, spent millions on negative ads against Crockett over the past few weeks. LinkedIn founder and Jeffrey Epstein pal Reid Hoffman was among the billionaires who bankrolled the super PAC, along with hedge fund titans Stephen Mandel and Mark Heising. The group also received millions via the same "dark money" networks Talarico had promised to ban via "anti-corruption" legislation.
Crockett's late entry into the race threatened Talarico's path to the nomination. The congresswoman had already established herself as a different kind of media darling—more politics-adjacent influencer than serious politician. The anti-Trump resistance couldn't get enough of her sassy clapbacks and "Imma smack a bitch" mentality. She was good at raising money and going viral. But Democratic elites didn't like her style, and insisted that Texas could turn blue in November—just not with Crockett on the ballot.
The billionaires, journalists, and party bigwigs did everything they could to sabotage Crockett in the closing stretch. Stephen Colbert, the former comedian, ginned up a phony scandal by falsely accusing Donald Trump and CBS News of shutting down his interview with Talarico. In reality, the network had simply advised Colbert that airing the interview could trigger federal rules mandating "equal time" for rival candidates—meaning Crockett. The ensuing outrage allowed Talarico to play the victim. He got tons of free exposure, and parlayed the "controversy" into a $2.5 million fundraising haul. In the final days before the election, journalists and other professional Democrats whined incessantly about how Crockett was mean to a reporter from the Atlantic.
The general election will give the billionaire-funded Democratic establishment a chance to prove it was all worth it to crush a black woman's dreams. The party has a long history of backing white candidates over black rivals in Senate primaries, but those candidates rarely go on to win. Talarico will face the winner of a GOP runoff election in May between Texas attorney general Ken Paxton and the incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, as neither candidate secured the majority needed to win the nomination outright.
Here are the winners and losers from Tuesday night's result in Texas:
Winner: White mediocrity, racism
Talarico, a mediocre white man, refused to apologize after committing racism against former Rep. Colin Allred (D., Texas). Furthermore, as Democrats have long established, it is racist to criticize a black woman or run against her in an election. Crockett was endorsed by Cardi B, Method Man, Kelly Rowland, and Kamala Harris. Talarico was endorsed by High School Democrats of America.
Loser: Kamala Harris
The former vice president defied the Democratic establishment by endorsing Crockett in the final week before Election Day. It was a risky bet that didn't pan out, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't run again in 2028.
Winners: Billionaires, the Democratic elite
Teaming up to take down Crockett must have been almost as satisfying as kneecapping Bernie Sanders in 2020 and rigging the election for Joe Biden. Talarico owes it all to them. They own him now.
Losers: The media
Journalists keep insisting they are neutral arbiters who don't take sides. They didn't just take sides in this race; they fell in love. It's so embarrassing. But it won't be the last time.
