Crockett Claims Polling Shows Viable Path to Flip Texas Senate Seat

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) said Sunday that internal polling suggests she has a real shot at flipping Texas’s U.S. Senate seat in 2026, should she decide to enter the race.

Speaking with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Crockett confirmed she’s still weighing a campaign and has moved into what she described as “the next phase” after reviewing polling data from her team. The freshman Democrat, who rose to prominence through viral media moments and left-wing advocacy, argued her numbers show strength against both incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton — who is considered a possible GOP primary challenger.

“The only reason that I’m continuing to consider whether or not I do this is because my polling says I can win,” Crockett told Tapper. “Head to head, we are doing really well against Paxton. And we are actually within the margin of error as it relates to John Cornyn.”

Cornyn, a longtime Republican senator, is facing growing resistance within his own party, especially from MAGA-aligned Republicans who have criticized his record on gun control and immigration. Paxton, who was acquitted in a state impeachment trial last year, has openly signaled interest in challenging Cornyn from the right.

Crockett made clear that Democrats view a Paxton nomination as a more winnable scenario. “We obviously would prefer to have Paxton,” she said, while stressing that her campaign’s confidence remains even if Cornyn survives the primary.

Still, Crockett acknowledged that polling alone doesn’t guarantee a win. “At the end of the day, a poll is a poll. And so you need to actually be able to execute on that,” she said, noting the importance of infrastructure, fundraising, and strategic planning before making a final decision.

If she runs and secures the Democratic nomination, Crockett would be attempting to win a statewide race in Texas — something no Democrat has done in three decades.