AP called the Texas 30th District results by 7:20 pm Tuesday. Jasmine Crockett handily took 77% of the vote in her race against Republican James Rodgers, who took only 20%, and Independent Zachariah Manning who took 2% of the vote.
“I’m most concerned about what has set us back, the rolling back of Roe v. Wade, looking again at how marriage is defined,” Crockett said. “I’m looking at the Voting Rights Act and how it hasn’t been reauthorized, and these gerrymandered lines, without support on the federal level, and we’re lacking courage in the Supreme Court.”
Before Crockett became the sole Black freshman member of the Texas House. She’s served as a Texas state representative since July 2020.
“I don’t think it’s hard to be progressive in Texas. We are the state saying, “Women, for the last 50-plus years, you have a right to your body, but we think that’s stupid. So, I’ve been labeled very progressive because I just don’t want to be regressive.”
Jared Boyd, chief of staff to St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, voiced support for Crocket’s campaign platforming on affordable housing and small business support.
“Crockett has a passion for protecting the rights our forefathers provided us,” Boyd said.” “Her service and her heart for service speak for themselves and are forged out of dealing with real people in St. Louis.”
The dream of becoming an anesthesiologist faded when she found anti-Black hate crimes occurring at her university being normalized. She said she needed an advocate when someone left racist hate mail in her campus mailbox and her Black friends had their cars keyed on campus. Her anger turned into drive.
Previously, Crockett worked as a civil rights attorney dealing with police brutality cases such as Jordan Edwards’ and Jacqueline Craig’s. During the George Floyd protests, she established her firm and took pro bono Black Lives Matter activists’ cases.
Retiring incumbent, more centrist Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, endorsed Crockett saying she is “Just the person we need in Congress at this critical time.”
Those words rang heavy and Crockett became the front-runner following Johnson’s endorsement. As she builds her national profile, Crockett said she would eagerly join the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which endorsed her along with presidential candidates Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Crockett competed against eight other Democratic candidates and won 49% of the vote to Hamilton’s 17% in the primary. In the runoff last May, she earned 60% of the vote in the predominantly Black 30th Congressional District.
Six candidates hashed it out in the Republican primary, and Republican James Rodgers won 57% in the runoff.
She does not mince words when explaining the urgency of addressing fundamental issues from gun control to women’s rights in a polarized country and an even more polarized state. Even if she can’t proclaim her progressive agenda as bluntly in her district as ‘Squad members’ to theirs, she is ranked among the most progressive people in the Texas House.
“I can’t say, Green New Deal, Medicare for All.” They don’t work,” Crockett said. “But when I talk about policy and say, “Don’t you agree everyone should have access to health care?” They agree.”
St. Louis loves Jasmine Crockett!