Sen. John Kennedy didn’t mince words during a recent Fox segment when he ripped into Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s sudden Senate ambitions, warning conservatives and swing voters alike that she’s the wrong choice for Texans. His blunt assessment—that Crockett is on the wrong side of the key debates and out of step with mainstream voters—captures a broader frustration on the right with Democrats who trade bombast for solutions.
Crockett formally filed to run for the U.S. Senate in Texas this week, turning what had been a messy GOP primary into a potential national spectacle if Democrats nominate their firebrand. Her entry instantly transformed the race and forced Democrats into a high-stakes bet that personality and national anger can overcome Texas’ conservative streak.
Conservatives have plenty of reasons to turn up the heat: Crockett’s record in Congress and public appearances are dominated by showy confrontations and headline-grabbing insults rather than concrete policy wins for Texans. From viral clashes with GOP lawmakers to a speech where she mocked Governor Greg Abbott, her style is energizing for the left but easily weaponized by opponents who want to paint Democrats as unserious or out of touch.
Make no mistake — Democrats are taking a risk running someone whose brand is national outrage rather than statewide appeal. Polling and political math in Texas show how steep the climb is for any Democrat, and Crockett’s headline-first approach may rally the base but it does little to peel off the suburban and rural voters who decide statewide contests. Conservatives should be confident: substance and steady messaging beat theatricality in Rust Belt and Sun Belt swing territory alike.
Kennedy’s point goes beyond personality: he warned that the lunacy on display from prominent Democrats may help Republicans in the short term but it’s corrosive to the national conversation and to working families who want results, not performances. That’s a line every Republican should repeat — expose the empty rhetoric, force accountability on real policy, and let voters choose competence over chaos.
If conservatives want to keep Texas and protect the Senate majority, grassroots activists and local leaders need to make Crockett’s record the story of the campaign. Don’t fall for the media’s breathless coverage that rewards outrage; instead, lay out the stakes for border security, energy independence, and the freedoms Texas families cherish, and contrast that with the Democrats’ record of reckless spending and culture-war distractions.
This race will be a test of who the GOP is — a party that defends hardworking Americans, common-sense governance, and the rule of law, or one that shrinks from fighting for those things. Kennedy did what patriots must do: he called out a dangerous, performative candidacy for what it is and reminded voters that America needs leaders who build and unite, not just shout into the camera for clicks.
