U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett announced she will skip next week’s Texas Democratic convention in Corpus Christi. In a move that complicates party efforts to present a unified front against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, Crockett also stated she is not currently committed to supporting the party’s U.S. Senate nominee, James Talarico.

Primary Election Aftermath

Crockett, who lost the Democratic primary to Talarico on March 3, told the Dallas Morning News that she chooses to focus her energy on down-ballot races across the country instead of attending the statewide rally. When asked if she intends to actively support Talarico’s campaign, Crockett replied, “I have no idea. I am more focused on down-ballot races in general.”

Beyond her schedule, the congresswoman raised questions about whether Black voters are rallying behind Talarico, an Austin-area state representative. “I’ve not heard a bunch of kumbaya,” Crockett said. “People don’t seem to be convinced at this point, but there’s a lot of time between now and November.” She added that the lack of a Black candidate leading the statewide ticket could ultimately lower voter turnout.

Convention Invitation

In response, Talarico’s campaign clarified that the nominee had personally called Crockett with the intention of offering her a prominent role as a keynote speaker at the convention. Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder also weighed in, noting that Crockett has held a standing invitation to the event since March. “We would love to have her there,” Scudder said.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.