AT A GLANCE
- Rep. Jasmine Crockett says former Vice President Kamala Harris personally encouraged her to run for U.S. Senate.
- Harris and other lawmakers emphasized safety concerns amid rising threats against elected officials.
- Crockett confirmed she is taking protective measures, including being fitted for a bulletproof vest.
- Despite criticism and skepticism, Crockett says she remains committed to the race and public service.
Crockett Says Safety Concerns Have Shaped Conversations With Kamala Harris And Others As She Runs For Senate
Rep. Jasmine Crockett says encouragement from former Vice President Kamala Harris helped solidify her decision to run for the U.S. Senate, even as serious safety concerns shape how she approaches the campaign.
Speaking on Native Land Pod with host Angela Rye, Crockett revealed that she spoke directly with Harris before launching her bid for the Texas Senate seat. According to Crockett, Harris framed the decision as one of service and necessity, while also stressing the reality of personal risk that comes with national politics today.
“I can tell you that the vice president in a very similar vein is like, ‘The country needs you,’” Crockett said, adding that Harris also emphasized the importance of staying as safe as possible while pursuing the role.
Those concerns were not isolated. Crockett shared that conversations with current members of the U.S. Senate echoed the same warning. One unnamed senator told her they believed she could win statewide but cautioned her against exposing herself to unnecessary danger.
“My biggest concern is your safety,” Crockett recalled being told. “I don’t want you to become a sacrificial lamb.”
Crockett said those warnings are being taken seriously. She confirmed she is in the process of being fitted for a bulletproof vest and made clear that she would not continue her Senate campaign without adequate protection in place.
“It is a sad reality,” she said, reflecting on the threats she has faced since stepping onto the national stage. Crockett also acknowledged that safety risks have long been an unspoken cost of public service, particularly for Black leaders.
Her Senate campaign, officially announced earlier this month, has been met with enthusiasm from supporters and skepticism from critics. Some anonymous Democratic voices have questioned whether the run is premature, citing Texas’ electoral history.
Crockett pushed back on that framing, telling Rye that “too soon” is often a moving target when applied to women like her.
“For some people, the time would never arrive, especially as a Black woman in this country,” she said, noting that Harris herself was only the second Black woman ever sworn into the U.S. Senate before becoming vice president.
Safety concerns are not new for Crockett. Earlier this year, she publicly discussed receiving death threats and how the increasingly hostile political climate has altered her daily life. She has said that even during her years in criminal defense, she never experienced fear on this scale.
Despite the risks, Crockett says she remains committed to the work and encouraged by leaders like Harris who view her candidacy as not just timely, but necessary, even as the cost of public service continues to rise.
