Two Texas Democrats running for the U.S. Senate, state Rep. James Talarico of Austin and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, will face off in a debate Saturday at the Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention in Georgetown.
They’re the leading contenders in the Democratic primary seeking to wrestle the job from Sen. John Cornyn, the incumbent Republican who’s held the U.S. Senate seat for more than two decades — and is facing his own primary challengers.
Talarico, a state lawmaker and former teacher, has emphasized public education and progressive organizing in Texas. Crockett, a Dallas-area congresswoman and former civil rights attorney, has gained national attention as a vocal critic of Republican leadership in Washington.
Polling in the race has been mixed. While a recent Emerson College survey shows Talarico ahead among likely Democratic primary voters, an earlier poll conducted by Texas Southern University found Crockett leading by eight points.
The debate will be streamed Saturday at 2 p.m. on several Nexstar stations across Texas, including CW33 in Dallas, CW39 in Houston and KXAN in Austin.
Early voting for the primary election begins on Feb. 17. Election Day is March 3.
The winner will advance to the general election in November. A Democrat hasn’t won a statewide office in Texas in more than 30 years.
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