Nearly five hours after ICU nurse Alex Pretti was killed by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis on Saturday, two Democratic rising stars struck an urgent, but unified tone at a debate more than 1,000 miles away in Texas.
“I am here to tell you that it is life or death as we see what is happening in Minnesota and otherwise,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-30).
Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico (D) faced off in their first debate ahead of the March 3 Senate primary, laying out their positions at the Texas AFL-CIO’s Committee on Political Education Conference. The hourlong debate saw both Democrats pitch their “fighter” label, but lacked any heated arguments between the two former state House colleagues.
“I think we've already seen in this debate that there's going to be a temptation by the media to pit us against each other, but we are all focused on the same goal, which is winning in November and stopping a Sen. Ken Paxton,” Talarico said.
Leading up to the debate, the dialogue surrounding the primary was anything but cordial, particularly among online election pundits and casual political observers on social media. Crockett and Talarico didn’t give into the noise, avoiding personal jabs and often voicing mutual agreement, particularly on overhauling ICE.
Dubbing herself a “street fighter,” Crockett didn’t shy away from voicing her opposition to President Trump in a state that voted for him three times and that hasn’t elected a statewide Democrat in 32 years. Yet the congresswoman focused most of her responses on her legislative record over rhetoric.
Crockett cautioned Democrats from becoming the “party of the educational elites,” positing her candidacy could motivate women and working-class voters and rebuild trust with Black men and Latino voters. She emphasized her outreach to disillusioned Republicans as well.
“Listen, we are not looking at politics as usual,” Crockett said. “Right now, people are not happy with the Democratic Party. I've seen the polling. What they want is someone who is going to be unafraid in the face of what we are facing right now.”
Talarico argued against a “left versus right” campaign strategy, pushing instead for a “top versus bottom” approach that targets billionaires. Invoking Christian scripture on several occasions, Talarico rarely mentioned Trump by name except to reference his flipping of a Trump-won state House seat in 2018.
“We will not win this race in November with the same old politics of division. Billionaires want us looking left and right at each other, so we're not looking up at them,” Talarico said. “We have traveled to every corner of Texas because we're not writing off any voter or any community.”
Crockett and Talarico differed on a few policy points as well. Talarico explicitly called for the Senate filibuster to be abolished; Crockett backed filibuster “carve-outs.” Crockett said she supported Supreme Court expansion and opening up an impeachment inquiry against Trump. Talarico didn’t echo either proposal, but said “the administration has certainly committed impeachable offenses.”
On Sunday, the Texas AFL-CIO’s Committee on Political Education voted to not endorse in the Senate Democratic primary, adding onto primary voters’ decision-making dilemma as early voting begins on Feb. 17.
— Nicholas Anastácio
