DALLAS — Congress member Jasmine Crockett has the best chance of becoming the Democratic nominee for the 2026 Texas Senate race if she were to throw her hat in the ring, according to a Republican poll.
Crockett has quickly become one of the most recognizable Democratic political voices expressing opposition to the agenda of Republicans who control the U.S. House, Senate and White House. Her quick-witted clap-backs laced with fact-based receipts during hearings and House Oversight Committee meetings often go viral.
The Texas race to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. John Coryn is seen as a pivotal indicator of the direction of the nation as Republicans control the Senate by only a 53-47 majority. Crockett hasn’t yet declared a run for Senate, but a new poll shows many believe she could become the first Democrat from Texas elected to the U.S. Senate since 1988.
Poll: Jasmine Crockett leads 2026 Texas Senate Democratic Primary
Crockett, a public defender and civil rights attorney, led with 35 percent support in the poll compared to 20 percent for Collin Allred, a Democrat who lost by nine points against Senator Ted Cruz in the 2024 general election.
Allred, a civil rights lawyer and former pro football player, has launched a campaign against Cornyn. Beto O’Rourke, who lost by just 2.6 percentage points to Senator Ted Cruz in 2018, hasn’t yet announced whether he’s entering the race. Both he and Congressman Joaquin Castro–who also hasn’t declared his candidacy–came in at 13 percent in the poll.
Despite Jasmine Crockett’s lead in the Texas Senate poll, another 18 percent of respondents remained undecided. The poll, conducted by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), was first obtained by the Daily Caller, a right-wing online news outlet. It surveyed 566 likely Democratic primary voters between July 4 – 7.
The Republican survey also found that progressives in key battleground states were tied or leading against Democratic incumbents, and over half of respondents supported raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Social security and medicaid was listed as the issue of most concern.
Congresswoman faces criticism from both sides
While Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett has faced harsh criticism from Republicans for her blunt style of communication and willingness to chastise President Trump, she also faces pushback from members of her own party.
Last month, Crockett withdrew from the race for Democratic leadership on the influential House Oversight Committee after her colleagues refused to endorse her.
“It was clear by the numbers that my style of leadership is not exactly what they were looking for,” Crockett told reporters.
Meanwhile, Republican John Cornyn seeks to beat controversial Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican primary. Paxton holds a strong lead against Cornyn, but after Paxton’s wife made a bombshell announcement Thursday that she was divorcing Paxton on “biblical grounds”, it’s unclear whether Republican voters will flock to Cornyn.
“I believe marriage is a sacred covenant and I have earnestly pursued reconciliation. But in light of recent discoveries, I do not believe that it honors God or is loving to myself, my children, or Ken to remain in the marriage,” Angela Paxton wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Will Rep. Jasmine Crockett enter race for Texas Senate?
Ultimately, as Democratic leadership struggles to form a cohesive response to Trump’s democracy-destabilizing agenda, it’s unclear whether Jasmine Crockett will gain the backing she needs to become the next Senator of Texas if she decides to enter the race.
Despite the backlash she receives for her outspoken approach to pushing back against the Trump administration, she’s continued to advocate for Texans inside and outside her district.
After the severe flooding in Kerr County, Texas led to over 100 deaths, including dozens of children at Mystic Summer Camp, Crockett expressed her frustration with a presidential administration gutting staff and resources for weather-related services.
“The sad part is, I think that my heart is going to carry a level of weight that will continue to weigh me down as we have to continue to do our best to survive in an administration that literally is against us,’ Rep. Crockett said.
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