Crockett cast concerns about her electability in a red state as racist dog whistles, and she called a pro-Talarico
super PAC’s ad citing the apparent GOP preference for her nomination
“straight up racist” and accused the ad of darkening her skin. The ad applied a dark filter throughout, including over other people pictured. Campaigns cannot legally coordinate with super PACs, and Talarico has repeatedly emphasized his respect for Crockett.
The racial tensions tearing the primary apart were
amplified by political content creators from around the country, who waged a vicious online proxy war on behalf of their preferred candidates.
Crockett’s supporters online depicted Talarico as anti-Black,
pointing to an accusation made by a TikTok creator that he referred to former congressman and 2024 Democratic Senate nominee Colin Allred as a “mediocre Black man.” Talarico disputed the allegation, saying he criticized Allred’s campaigning but would “never attack him on the basis of race.”
Republicans, too,
fanned the division and made no secret of their belief that Crockett would be easier to beat in November. Cornyn called Crockett’s decision to run a “gift,” and Talarico’s potential nomination “dangerous.”
www.texastribune.org
