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By Mandy Taheri
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As Democratic Representatives Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico face off in early voting in Texas’ Democratic Senate primary, here is a look at their latest campaign finance disclosures ahead of the March primary.
Why It Matters
Early voting is underway in Texas for primary elections that will determine the Democratic and Republican nominees in the state's U.S. Senate race.
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Democrats have not won a statewide Texas race in more than 30 years, so the Lone Star State remains Republicans' to lose—but the ingredients for an upset are there: near‑even polling, millions cascading into Democratic campaigns and a GOP primary that could leave bruises heading into November.
Recent polls have shown the Texas Democratic Senate primary as a close contest, with some surveys putting Talarico ahead and others showing Crockett in the lead.
What To Know
Based on the candidates' Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings that became available last month, Talarico raised $13 million between September and the end of December 2025. He reported ending 2025 with $7.1 million cash on hand.
Crockett had total receipts of $6.5 million, $2 million of those from individual contributions and about $4.5 million “transfers from other authorized committees,” per the FEC filing. At the end of the year, she reported having $5.6 million cash on hand.
She entered the race later than Talarico, and in January said, “I’ve been in this race for less than a month and had 23 days to raise money in the final quarter during the toughest fundraising period of the year, and will still post another record-breaking quarter."
While no more recent filings are publicly available yet, Talarico said his “campaign raised $2.5 million in 24 hours after the FCC banned our Colbert interview.” The amount marks his biggest fundraising day of his campaign so far.
His comments come after Stephen Colbert said earlier this week that CBS worked to essentially block him from airing his interview with Talarico. CBS said it did not prohibit Colbert from broadcasting the interview "provided legal guidance" and "presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled." Colbert published the interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert YouTube channel.
The dispute over the interview has renewed debate about CBS's editorial practices and the Trump administration's political pressures. The incident has also fueled questions about "equal time" regulations.
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What People Are Saying
Texas State Representative James Talarico said in the Stephen Colbert interview that was posted on YouTube: “We've recruited 14,000 volunteers who are out there doing the work all over our state. We have shattered grassroots fundraising records all without taking a dime from corporate PACs. It’s a people powered movement to take back our state and take back our country.”
U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas told reporters on Tuesday: "We did receive information suggesting that the federal government did not shut down the segment. ... It is our understanding that Colbert—either Mr. Colbert or CBS decided they just didn't want to air it, and this was because of a fear that the FCC may say something to them, and that there may have been advice to just have me on. And then they could clear the issue. It was my understanding that someone somewhere decided—'We just don't want to do that, so instead we're just going to do it this way.'"
Stephen Colbert said on Monday: "I was told, in some uncertain terms, that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on."
When is the Texas Senate Primary?
Early voting for the Texas Senate primary is already underway, having started on Tuesday. Early voting will continue through Friday, February 27.
The candidate who wins a majority of the vote in the March 3 primary will claim the party nomination. If no one receives more than 50 percent, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election.
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