Crockett Gets Last Laugh After Democrats Betray Her
Texas Democrats are facing growing political turmoil after a series of dramatic runoff elections exposed deep divisions inside the party ahead of the critical 2026 midterm elections.
While Rep. Jasmine Crockett lost her own bid for the Democratic Senate nomination earlier this year, several candidates backed by the outspoken progressive lawmaker pulled off major victories Tuesday night — proving Crockett still holds serious influence within Texas Democrat politics.
The results highlighted an intensifying battle between competing factions of the Democratic Party at a time when Republicans are aggressively reshaping the political map in Texas.
Former Congressman Colin Allred, who received Crockett’s endorsement, defeated Rep. Julie Johnson in a high-profile runoff for a newly redrawn Dallas-area congressional district.
Johnson had been supported by Texas state Rep. James Talarico — the same Democrat who defeated Crockett in the party’s Senate primary earlier this year.
The showdown quickly became a proxy war between different wings of the Texas Democratic establishment.
Texas Republicans recently approved new congressional district maps that dramatically changed several Democrat-controlled areas across the state. GOP leaders argued the updated maps better reflect Texas population shifts and voting trends, while Democrats accused Republicans of forcing painful political matchups between members of their own party.
The new maps have already triggered political chaos.
Johnson originally won Allred’s old congressional seat after he left the House to challenge Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024. Allred lost that Senate race before launching another campaign against Sen. John Cornyn for 2026.
But after Crockett entered the Senate race herself, Allred abandoned that effort and jumped back into the House contest — setting up the bitter runoff battle with Johnson.
Although Crockett’s Senate ambitions were crushed when Talarico defeated her outright in the Democratic primary, Tuesday’s election results showed she remains a powerful figure inside Texas Democrat circles.
Crockett also celebrated another key victory in the Houston area.
Rep. Christian Menefee, another Crockett-backed candidate, defeated longtime Democrat Rep. Al Green in yet another redistricting-fueled showdown between Democrats.
The race further exposed growing tensions within the party as Democrats struggle to unite ahead of November.
Despite the internal battles, both Allred and Menefee are still considered heavy favorites in the general election because their districts strongly lean Democrat.
For Republicans, however, the growing Democrat infighting could become a powerful talking point heading into the midterms as the GOP continues working to expand its influence across Texas.
The latest runoff results make one thing clear: even after losing her own statewide campaign, Jasmine Crockett’s political influence inside Texas is far from over.
