Crockett embarked on her primary bid with a makeshift operation that lacked a campaign manager, a developed fundraising strategy and comprehensive infrastructure for a ground game.
Kayla Guo
Kayla Guo covers state politics and government. Before joining the Tribune, she covered Congress for The New York Times as a reporting fellow based in Washington, D.C. Kayla has also covered transportation policy for Politico and local news for The Raleigh News & Observer, and she was a part-time digital producer for The Boston Globe. She graduated from Brown University, where she studied public policy and served as editor-in-chief and president of the independent student newspaper. She was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She is based in Austin.
Posted in
State Government
Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick easily win their Republican primaries
On the Democratic side, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa captured the nomination to take on Abbott while Rep. Vikki Goodwin is in the lead for the lieutenant governor nomination.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
James Talarico defeats Jasmine Crockett in blockbuster Democratic primary for U.S. Senate
The Austin Democrat’s win comes after a bitter primary that focused on which candidate’s political and electoral strategy would get the party’s first statewide victory in over 30 years.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Polls close today in the Texas primaries. Here are five things to watch.
This Tuesday, Tribune reporters are watching two blockbuster Senate primaries, an open attorney general seat, and more high-stakes, competitive races up and down the Texas ballot.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Texas Democrats prepare to decide party’s future after divisive, epic Senate primary
Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico face off in the state’s first blockbuster Democratic primary in decades. The race will likely conclude Tuesday, with the outside chance of a runoff.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
How two churches forged Jasmine Crockett’s and James Talarico’s politics
In the Senate Democratic primary, Talarico has made his church’s ethos of compassion central to his campaign, while Jasmine Crockett is tapping into the civic power of Black churches.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Rick Perry says his political group will spend “whatever we need” to support John Cornyn in Senate primary
The former Texas governor chairs the Lone Star Freedom Project, a group that has already spent almost $18 million boosting Cornyn against Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Stephen Colbert blasts CBS for nixing James Talarico interview
The late-night host said the network feared running afoul of new FCC guidance directing shows to give equal airtime to political candidates.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
In Senate Democratic primary fraught with racial tensions, Black voters could be decisive
Jasmine Crockett has built enormous enthusiasm among Black voters based in part on her reputation as a fighter, while her opponent in the Texas primary, James Talarico, has struggled to win their support.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
In fiercely competitive Democratic Senate race, social media influencers increasingly drive the conversation
The near-constant stream of takes from content creators has come to frame the primary between Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico as a referendum on identity politics in the Democratic Party.