The Supreme Court’s decision to let Texas use its contested congressional maps in the 2026 elections landed with a thud in Washington. For Rep. Jasmine Crockett, it also landed personally.
The court’s order allows maps to remain in place while litigation continues, despite a three-judge federal panel in Texas previously finding the districts were drawn to weaken the voting power of Black, Latino, and other minority communities. The justices did not rule on the maps’ legality. They simply allowed them to be used for now.
Crockett made that distinction clear in a statement released after the ruling. “The Supreme Court did not say these maps are fair. They did not say these maps are constitutional,” she said in a statement, adding that the court merely “pressed pause” while Texans are told to vote under lines already flagged as discriminatory.
She described the decision as “disappointing” but “not shocking,” pointing to what she called a MAGA-influenced court. Her warning was blunt. “Don’t get too comfortable,” Crockett said, arguing that aggressively drawn districts can backfire on the very politicians who designed them.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) says “f*** you” to the Supreme Court for basically ending her political career by allowing Texas redistricting to go forward.
Crockett has given up running for her House seat and is now desperately running for Senate. She has no chance.
She’s fired! pic.twitter.com/iGuN09n7Am
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) January 4, 2026
The ruling has immediate political consequences for Crockett herself. Texas’ new maps shift her out of her current congressional district, a move that came after Republicans pursued a rare mid-decade redistricting. Days after the court’s order, Crockett launched a bid for the U.S. Senate.
In a video posted online, according to Fox News, Crockett used even sharper language, directing an expletive at the Supreme Court and accusing Republicans of trying to “rig the system” ahead of 2026. She praised states like California and Indiana for pushing back against redistricting efforts, while singling out Texas as a flashpoint.
Republicans argue the maps are lawful. Democrats point to the lower court’s findings and say the damage is already done, even temporarily. Crockett framed the maps as “political Russian roulette,” saying they slice districts so tightly that supposedly safe seats could slip away.
Her Senate run now places her at the center of a high-stakes Democratic primary, per The Texas Standard. Crockett and Texas state Rep. James Talarico are the two leading contenders for the party’s nomination to challenge Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who is seeking a fifth term.
In the Democratic race for U.S. Senate, Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett says the GOP is targeting her because she can win.
“The (polls) are clear that I am the clear front-runner to make it through this primary.” https://t.co/FGwzSjaQ4M pic.twitter.com/UvFbS3ZGMq
— San Antonio Express-News (@ExpressNews) January 6, 2026
Texas has not elected a Democrat statewide in more than three decades. The last Democrat to win Cornyn’s seat was Lyndon Johnson in 1960. Even so, Democrats see a possible opening amid a bruising Republican primary that includes Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt.
Crockett entered the race at the last possible moment before the filing deadline, a move that reshaped the field. Former congressman Colin Allred exited the Senate contest soon after and pivoted to a House run.
Despite the sudden shift, both Crockett and Talarico have publicly avoided attacking each other. “A competitive primary makes us all stronger,” Talarico said during a campaign stop in Houston, pledging full support if Crockett secures the nomination.
Crockett returned the gesture, saying there was “no way” she would back a Republican in the general election. But she has also made clear why she believes she is better positioned for the job.
Texas is not Georgia. It will be important for either James Talarico or Jasmine Crockett to do well on at least four fronts in order to win the Senate seat. Sky high Black turnout alone WILL NOT be enough on its own for them to win. #Dem #TX #Texas pic.twitter.com/vjQEmZW8Zz
— Alan Holmes (@oh_HOLMES) December 26, 2025
She points to her experience as both a state and federal lawmaker, her background as a lawyer who has argued cases in federal court, and her higher name recognition statewide. “When you start off and people don’t know you, then that means the monies have to be used to kind of just get people to know your name,” she said.
“We are one of the lowest voter turnout states in the country,” Crockett said. “You’ve got to get voter participation up.”
For now, the maps remain. The court case continues. Crockett’s language has sharpened, her ambitions have widened, and Texas politics has entered another unsettled stretch. This time, the lines on the map are fixed, but the ground beneath them still feels unstable.
