AT A GLANCE
- Jasmine Crockett says an alleged comment by James Talarico reflects long-held concerns about how Black candidates are discussed behind closed doors.
- Talarico denies calling Colin Allred a “mediocre Black man,” saying he criticized a campaign, not a person or race.
- Crockett says Allred’s unusually forceful response and Talarico’s wording raised red flags.
- The controversy lands amid an already tense Texas Democratic U.S. Senate primary.
“Even the Most Quote-Unquote Well-Intentioned White Folk, Sometimes Behind Closed Doors, May Say Things About Us… And It Doesn’t Matter Your Political Affiliation,” Crockett Says
The Texas Democratic U.S. Senate primary took a sharp turn this week after allegations surfaced that James Talarico referred to former opponent Colin Allred as a “mediocre Black man” during a private conversation.
The claim was publicly raised by TikTok political influencer Morgan Thompson. Talarico, who is white, has denied making the remark about Allred’s race, insisting he used the word “mediocre” only to describe Allred’s campaign.
Crockett, now Talarico’s opponent in the race, said she believes the allegation is credible.
“It’s obviously really problematic,” Crockett told theGrio in an exclusive interview. “I think it is what so many Black people fear; that even the most quote-unquote well-intentioned white folk, sometimes behind closed doors, may say things about us… and it doesn’t matter your political affiliation.”
Crockett, a former civil rights attorney, said the issue goes beyond one remark. She framed it as a broader concern shared by many marginalized communities about how they are discussed in private political spaces.
“I think that it is a real fear that a lot of, not just Black people, but minorities have about how they may get talked about behind closed doors,” she said.
While Crockett initially held back from weighing in, she said several factors pushed her to speak out. Chief among them was Allred’s response. Known for his calm and measured demeanor, Allred delivered a rare, sharp rebuke in a video posted online.
“Don’t come for me unless I send for you, okay, James? And keep my name out of your mouth while you’re at it,” Allred said.
“This is not a guy that would just go out there and respond because something was on social media,” Crockett added. “I know that he did his due diligence before he made a response.”
Crockett also scrutinized Talarico’s explanation, noting that he acknowledged using the word “mediocre” in the conversation but argued it was misinterpreted.
“The criminal defense attorney in me, after I read his statement, says, oh, you said it,” Crockett said. “Because now it’s, ‘oh, she misinterpreted [him].’ Because, of course, a Black woman would misinterpret, right?”
She questioned the logic of Talarico’s claim that he was contrasting her, whom he described as a “formidable Black woman”, with what he called Allred’s “mediocre” campaign.
Crockett said racial attacks and coded messaging were already present in the race before the controversy erupted, including before she formally launched her campaign in December.
The day after Crockett announced her run, Talarico released a video urging supporters to treat her with respect, a move Thompson later said she encouraged. Crockett acknowledged the gesture but said it did not go far enough.
“I don’t know that he’s done a ton to distance himself,” she said, referring to what she described as ongoing racial overtones from some of Talarico’s supporters.
As for whether the alleged remark should disqualify Talarico from serving in the U.S. Senate, Crockett stopped short of issuing a verdict.
“The voters will decide,” she said.
For now, the controversy has laid bare uncomfortable questions about race, power, and political candor questions unlikely to fade before primary voters cast their ballots.
