Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett’s loss in the Texas Democratic Senate primary wasn’t just an election defeat; it showed how few voices in Washington are willing to confront the Trump Administration directly.
Black America lost a strong advocate for civil rights, social and economic justice, and fair immigration policies. Her defeat serves as a painful reminder that, even though Black women consistently help save American democracy, we remain politically vulnerable.
Gerrymandering and court rulings drove Crockett out of her district, prompting her Senate run. As Trump enters year-two of his second term, Democrats remain on the defensive. Only four in ten Democratic voters say they are happy with their party’s direction and still lack a clear resistance strategy to defend America’s multiracial democracy.
After Crockett, who will fight for us in Congress?
Rep. Crockett’s election loss felt personal. I was stationed in Abuja, Nigeria, working at the US Agency for International Development, hoping Congress would prevent President Trump and Elon Musk from shutting down my agency and laying off 10,000 employees worldwide. I saw how America’s global leadership and credibility began to erode after nearly sixty years of investing in poverty reduction, HIV/AIDS prevention, and education.
Now, with U.S. military strikes happening around the world, Americans are seeing firsthand the consequences of losing soft power and the rise of it. The world is becoming globally unstable.
Congresswoman Crockett was among the few leaders to hold Trump accountable for illegally dismantling USAID. On CBS News, she criticized the Trump Administration for hollowing out the Department of Education, emphasizing its harmful effects on Black children and the disabled. She was one of the first to condemn the Trump Administration’s anti-DEI policies and Project 2025, a conservative agenda to reshape the US government.
Black Women Feel Betrayed
When the Democratic establishment rallied behind James Talarico instead of Jasmine Crockett, despite her growing national profile and fierce defense of civil rights, it felt like a familiar betrayal to many Black women in politics. For a voting bloc that has long been the backbone of the Democratic Party, the moment reopened a wound that had barely begun to heal after the defeat of Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
According to a Fortune report, over 600,000 Black women have suddenly found themselves unemployed under the Trump Administration. With Crockett now gone from Congress, many are asking a troubling question: Who will speak for us?
The Double Standard Black Women Face in American Politics
Some critics argued that Rep. Crockett overplayed her hand by believing she could win with just name credibility and three months on the campaign trail. They claimed she lacked enough volunteers on the ground, failed to secure Latino voter support, and raised less money than her opponent.
Fox News described her loss as “STRAIGHT OUTTA CONGRESS’: Top progressive concedes race after viral mockery for ‘embarrassing’ defeat”. Politico said, “This L is on her’: Black lawmakers and strategists dump on Crockett.”
Crockett’s loss was just another relentless reminder of the racism and sexism that Black women must overcome to be successful in government and politics. While in government, I was advised to “keep my head down and let my work speak for itself” in order to be successful. However, the goalposts for career advancement continue to shift for Black women. Working hard and building a coalition of allies will not save your career.
America overlooked countless qualified Black women in politics, even as far back as Fannie Lou Hamer and Shirley Chisholm. When Stacey Abrams ran for Georgia Governor in 2018 and 2022, she was still sidelined despite registering over 800,000 new voters and sending two Democratic Senators to Congress. Kamala Harris had only 107 days to save the Democratic presidential race and was ridiculed for not being “Black enough”, lacking clear policies, and for being a “DEI hire”.
Now critics have pushed aside and disrespected Rep. Jasmine Crockett, the party’s rising star just last year, despite her role on the frontlines of the resistance movement.
What Jasmine Crockett’s Loss Means for Black Women in Politics
Crockett’s defeat reinforces a troubling pattern; the Democratic Party often relies on Black women to mobilize voters, yet few Black women hold positions of national leadership.
The irony is that party leadership has struggled to craft a coherent strategy to counter the conservative policy agenda outlined in Project 2025, even as grassroots organizers—many of them Black women—continue to carry the party electorally.
Democratic leaders must rebuild the multiracial coalition championed by the late Rev. Jesse Jackson and recommit to civil rights legislation that protects voting access and economic opportunity.
In Texas, Talarico will have to work overtime to appeal to Black voters, whom he will need, despite catering to disgruntled Republicans and Independents. If the Democratic Party had passed the George Floyd Policing Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, perhaps they would be in a different position than today.
The Democratic Party will have to reconcile its racism and sexism issues. After all, the political party nominated Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton for president, yet pushed them to the side when they lost. Progressive politicians can’t just be on the front lines at rallies and marches. They must hold high-profile leadership positions and shape public policy.
Black women may ultimately need to build independent political power. Through stronger local organizing, policy advocacy, and leadership pipelines, they can ensure no one sidelines their voices.
Black women political leaders should address the Electoral College rules and build off the growing frustration that Americans have with a two-party electoral system.
Crockett’s defeat should serve as a warning and spark a serious conversation about Black women in American politics. Loyalty and hard work alone will not guarantee political power or protection.
What Happens If Black Voters Reimagine Their Political Home?
For 60 years, Black voters have poured their political capital into the Democratic Party. Imagine if the entire Congressional Black Caucus abandoned the Democrats and built the infrastructure for an independent party. This would cause political disruption.
As USAID dismantled its programs, I chose to rest, recharge, and restrategize, just as the Black women in my family have done in hard times. Black women in politics must lean on their faith and learn from the women who came before them. We must take our rightful place in shaping the future of American democracy for the next generation.