Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s dramatic late entry into the Texas Senate race has triggered a political firestorm — not only because of its timing, but because it’s Texas, and the road for a progressive firebrand running statewide in deep red territory is anything but smooth.
After months of speculation and backroom whispers, Crockett officially announced her candidacy on Monday in Dallas, stepping in just as Rep. Colin Allred exited the race to “unify the party.” But unity wasn’t the reaction she got online.
Conservative leaders didn’t hold back. Texas Governor Greg Abbott led the charge, calling the race a “circus” and warning that Crockett is “about to learn the hard way that most Texans are very different from her district, her base & her values.” In a statement that captured the brutal tone of the backlash, Abbott declared she’d be “pummeled” for her progressive, socialist agenda. His parting shot? “On the bright side for her, maybe she’ll end up with a job on The View.”
Asked John Fetterman about Jasmine Crockett’s entrance into #txsen, and he said she probably is kind of candidate that “Republicans want to run.”
Chris Murphy says Crockett tried to reach him by phone last night and praised her. “She’s somebody with a big, strong national voice”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 8, 2025
The Republican Party chimed in with its own blistering post, referencing the infamous “low IQ” remark that’s dogged Crockett since a viral exchange with Trump. They announced her candidacy with those words front and center, saying, “This is really who the Democrats are clearing the field for.”
And that campaign launch video? It raised more than a few eyebrows. Conservative influencer Matt Walsh posted that he actually agreed with every word of it — ironic, since the clip consists largely of Trump himself eviscerating Crockett. Eric Daugherty didn’t mince words either, calling it an “absolute EMBARRASSMENT,” and mocking the strategic wisdom of using Trump soundbites in a state he won by 14 points.
Crockett, for her part, leaned into the fight. “The gloves have been off, and now I’m jumping into the ring,” she told supporters. She framed her decision as a moral imperative, saying, “this moment we’re in now is life or death,” and pointed to polling trends as a call to action. “I could have played it safe,” she said, “but I don’t choose to do that.”
Not all the reaction was hostile. Progressive ally Rep. Ayanna Pressley applauded her “brilliant legal mind” and bold leadership. And the Texas Democratic Party insisted they aren’t running scared — Chairman Kendall Scudder even claimed Republicans are “shaking in their boots.”
The field is anything but settled, and Crockett’s entry throws a new wildcard into the mix. But in a state where red runs deep and political punches land hard, she’s entering a brawl that won’t be won on slogans alone.
