James Talarico wins Texas Democrat Senate primary: AP projects

James Talarico wins Texas Democrat Senate primary: AP projects

James Talarico Projected to Win Texas Democratic Senate Primary Amid Record Spending and Legal Disputes

The Associated Press has projected James Talarico as the winner of Texas’ Democratic U.S. Senate primary, with 51.8% of the vote counted against 46.9% for Rep. Jasmine Crockett as of March 3, though final results remain pending due to legal disputes over vote counting in Dallas County. The race, one of the most expensive in Senate history, saw over $110 million spent on advertising, driven by Talarico’s aggressive fundraising and external group spending.

Talarico’s campaign raised $21 million total, including a $2.5 million surge following a controversial incident in which CBS canceled a Stephen Colbert interview with him, allegedly due to FCC regulations. His campaign outspent Crockett’s by nearly 5-to-1, with $15.3 million in direct advertising and an additional $7.7 million from the pro-Talarico Lone Star Rising PAC. Crockett, meanwhile, raised $8.6 million, largely transferred from her House campaign account after entering the race in December.

The primary’s outcome also reflects significant external spending, with over $75 million from non-candidate groups, including $57 million on the Republican side to support incumbent Sen. John Cornyn against Attorney General Ken Paxton. Prediction markets on Kalshi gave Talarico a 75% chance of securing the Democratic nomination, while Paxton was projected to lead Cornyn 81% to 19% for the GOP nod.

Legal challenges complicated vote counting, as Texas’ Supreme Court ordered ballots cast after 7 p.m. in Dallas County—Crockett’s stronghold—to be separated, delaying results until March 4. Both candidates faced attack ads from opposing super PACs, with Talarico’s team criticizing GOP efforts to elevate Crockett and Crockett’s campaign accusing Talarico of hypocrisy over super PAC support.

The winner will face a Republican primary runoff on May 26 between Cornyn and Paxton before a November general election. With Texas’ Senate seat a key target for Democrats, the race underscores the financial and legal volatility shaping 2026 midterm contests.