Democratic Senate primary erupts after candidate accused of ‘mediocre Black man’ remark
What's the endgame here?
In the blockbuster Senate race in Texas, where the combustible GOP primary has been grabbing most of the headlines, it's the Democratic showdown that's now being swept up in a political firestorm.
State Rep. James Talarico, one of the two major Democrats running for their party's nomination in the red-leaning state, was accused over the weekend by an influencer of calling his former rival a "mediocre Black man."
Talarico later responded by saying the claim was a "mischaracterization of a private conversation."
The accusation comes with just one month to go until primary day in Texas, with Talarico facing off against Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a progressive firebrand and rising Democratic Party star with a large social media following who is known as a vocal critic of President Donald Trump.
Morgan Thompson, the influencer who goes by the username @morga_tt on TikTok, in a social media post on Sunday accused Talarico of saying in a private conversation with her last month that he had "signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable, intelligent, Black woman."
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Talarico was allegedly referring to former Rep. Colin Allred, the 2024 Democratic Senate nominee who was making a second straight run this cycle until ending his campaign just before Crockett announced her candidacy. Both Allred and Crockett are Black, and Talarico is White.
Pushing back against Thompson's characterization of their conversation, Talarico said in a statement, "In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre — but his life and service are not. I would never attack him on the basis of race."
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Allred, responding in a social media video on Monday, said: "James, if you want to compliment Black women, just do it. Just do it. Don’t do it while also tearing down a Black man."
After dropping his Senate campaign, Allred is now running for Congress in the state's 33rd District against Rep. Julie Johnson, a fellow Democrat.
Allred, a former college football star who went on to play professionally in the NFL, and later became a civil rights lawyer, said he would be endorsing Crockett after initially staying neutral.
Crockett said in a statement that Allred "drew a line in the sand."
"He made it clear that he did not take allegations of an attack on him as simply another day in the neighborhood, but more importantly, his post wasn’t about himself," she said. "It was a moment …
What's the endgame here?
In the blockbuster Senate race in Texas, where the combustible GOP primary has been grabbing most of the headlines, it's the Democratic showdown that's now being swept up in a political firestorm.
State Rep. James Talarico, one of the two major Democrats running for their party's nomination in the red-leaning state, was accused over the weekend by an influencer of calling his former rival a "mediocre Black man."
Talarico later responded by saying the claim was a "mischaracterization of a private conversation."
The accusation comes with just one month to go until primary day in Texas, with Talarico facing off against Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a progressive firebrand and rising Democratic Party star with a large social media following who is known as a vocal critic of President Donald Trump.
Morgan Thompson, the influencer who goes by the username @morga_tt on TikTok, in a social media post on Sunday accused Talarico of saying in a private conversation with her last month that he had "signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable, intelligent, Black woman."
JASMINE CROCKETT SAYS SHE DOESN'T NEED TO CONVERT TRUMP SUPPORTERS IN HER TEXAS SENATE BID
Talarico was allegedly referring to former Rep. Colin Allred, the 2024 Democratic Senate nominee who was making a second straight run this cycle until ending his campaign just before Crockett announced her candidacy. Both Allred and Crockett are Black, and Talarico is White.
Pushing back against Thompson's characterization of their conversation, Talarico said in a statement, "In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre — but his life and service are not. I would never attack him on the basis of race."
FIERCE TRUMP CRITIC CROCKETT SHAKES UP HIGH STAKES SENATE RACE
Allred, responding in a social media video on Monday, said: "James, if you want to compliment Black women, just do it. Just do it. Don’t do it while also tearing down a Black man."
After dropping his Senate campaign, Allred is now running for Congress in the state's 33rd District against Rep. Julie Johnson, a fellow Democrat.
Allred, a former college football star who went on to play professionally in the NFL, and later became a civil rights lawyer, said he would be endorsing Crockett after initially staying neutral.
Crockett said in a statement that Allred "drew a line in the sand."
"He made it clear that he did not take allegations of an attack on him as simply another day in the neighborhood, but more importantly, his post wasn’t about himself," she said. "It was a moment …
Democratic Senate primary erupts after candidate accused of ‘mediocre Black man’ remark
What's the endgame here?
In the blockbuster Senate race in Texas, where the combustible GOP primary has been grabbing most of the headlines, it's the Democratic showdown that's now being swept up in a political firestorm.
State Rep. James Talarico, one of the two major Democrats running for their party's nomination in the red-leaning state, was accused over the weekend by an influencer of calling his former rival a "mediocre Black man."
Talarico later responded by saying the claim was a "mischaracterization of a private conversation."
The accusation comes with just one month to go until primary day in Texas, with Talarico facing off against Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a progressive firebrand and rising Democratic Party star with a large social media following who is known as a vocal critic of President Donald Trump.
Morgan Thompson, the influencer who goes by the username @morga_tt on TikTok, in a social media post on Sunday accused Talarico of saying in a private conversation with her last month that he had "signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable, intelligent, Black woman."
JASMINE CROCKETT SAYS SHE DOESN'T NEED TO CONVERT TRUMP SUPPORTERS IN HER TEXAS SENATE BID
Talarico was allegedly referring to former Rep. Colin Allred, the 2024 Democratic Senate nominee who was making a second straight run this cycle until ending his campaign just before Crockett announced her candidacy. Both Allred and Crockett are Black, and Talarico is White.
Pushing back against Thompson's characterization of their conversation, Talarico said in a statement, "In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre — but his life and service are not. I would never attack him on the basis of race."
FIERCE TRUMP CRITIC CROCKETT SHAKES UP HIGH STAKES SENATE RACE
Allred, responding in a social media video on Monday, said: "James, if you want to compliment Black women, just do it. Just do it. Don’t do it while also tearing down a Black man."
After dropping his Senate campaign, Allred is now running for Congress in the state's 33rd District against Rep. Julie Johnson, a fellow Democrat.
Allred, a former college football star who went on to play professionally in the NFL, and later became a civil rights lawyer, said he would be endorsing Crockett after initially staying neutral.
Crockett said in a statement that Allred "drew a line in the sand."
"He made it clear that he did not take allegations of an attack on him as simply another day in the neighborhood, but more importantly, his post wasn’t about himself," she said. "It was a moment …
