With Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett entering the race for US Senate, Texas is once again confronting a political reality that has held firm for generations.
The state has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988, when Lloyd Bentsen won his final term before becoming the Democratic vice-presidential nominee.
Republicans have controlled both of Texas’ Senate seats ever since. Phil Gramm and Kay Bailey Hutchison secured long tenures in the 1990s and 2000s, followed by Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz, who have each won multiple statewide elections by solid margins.
Texas’ shift from a Democratic stronghold in the mid-20th century to a modern Republican stronghold happened gradually, driven by changing demographics, suburban political realignment and the nationalization of partisan identity.
Crockett’s entry into the 2026 race adds a new chapter to that history, setting up another statewide test for Democrats in a state where winning a Senate seat has proven to be among the party’s toughest challenges. Despite occasional competitive showings in recent years, no Democrat has broken through in a statewide federal race in more than 30 years.
In 1988, when Texas last sent a Democrat to the US Senate, America looked very different. Rain Man topped the box office, Faith by George Michael dominated radio, and the nation was glued to TV hits like The Cosby Show, Cheers and Roseanne. Michael Jordan was becoming a global icon, Nintendo was transforming living rooms, and a gallon of gas cost about 90 cents. It was the same year CD players were becoming mainstream, MTV was driving music culture and the very first episode of Cops hit the airwaves — all reminders of just how long it has been since a Democrat won statewide federal office in Texas.
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