The Democratic candidate in the Texas Senate race is going to be an LGBTQ+ ally

What has Jasmine Crockett said about LGBTQ+ rights?

After entering the U.S. House of Representatives in 2023, Crockett quickly gained momentum as a rising star within the Democratic Party for her outspoken criticisms of conservatives, including the GOP's obsession with trans people.

Crockett first made waves for her feuds with Republican firebrands like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Nancy Mace. When Greene made a comment in May, 2024 about Crockett's “fake eyelashes,” Crockett hit back that Greene has a “bleach-blonde, bad-built, butch body.” She later clarified that she did not mean to insult butch lesbians with the comment, writing in a post, "I’ve always & will always stand 10 toes down with the community & meant no harm to anyone in the community."

Mace threatened Crockett with physical violence during a House Oversight Committee meeting in January after Crockett accused her of harping on anti-trans talking points to make money. Mace responded by telling her, “If you want to take it outside, we can do that."

Crockett's criticism doesn't stop with Republicans. Beyond sharply condemning the GOP's wave of anti-trans legislation in a March interview with The 19th, Crockett also denounced Democrats for allowing themselves to become "divided" over the issue.

“In this election, we allowed ourselves to be divided. We allowed them to distract us, and we allowed them to talk about the trans folk," Crockett said. "According to them, the trans kids, they want to play sports. That is the biggest issue that we’ve had. Since when? Since when? Find the little trans child that is ruining your life. I mean, I’m just like, what are we doing? Like, what are we doing?”

Crockett again went viral in May after using her time during a House Oversight subcommittee hearing to play a game of what she called "Trump or trans." Crockett asked National Women’s Law Center President Fatima Goss Graves whether an issue the committee focused on was caused by Trump or trans people, with Graves responding "Trump" each time.

Crockett's website, which includes a list of legislation she's supported, states that she is "determined to file and pass safeguards for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community" — marriage equality, gender-affirming care, and antidiscrimination policies.

What are James Talarico's views on LGBTQ+ rights?

Talarico, a former public school teacher, has served in the Texas state House of Representatives since 2018. Despite his Christian background, Talarico has positioned himself as a fierce queer ally, even using the Bible to advocate in favor of LGBTQ+ rights as well as separation of church and state.

Talarico went viral in November, 2023 for speaking out against a bill that would have mandated the Ten Commandments be displayed in all state public school classrooms. Talarico asked Republican Candy Nobel, the bill's sponsor, "Why is having a rainbow in a classroom is indoctrination and not having the Ten Commandments in a classroom?"

“Every time on this committee that we try to teach students values like empathy or kindness, we’re told we can’t because that’s the parent’s role,” he said. “Every time on this committee that we try to teach basic sex education to keep our kids safe, we’re told that’s the parent’s role, but now you’re putting religious commandments — literal commandments — in our classroom, and you’re saying that’s the state’s role. Why is that not the parent’s role?”

Upon entering the race for U.S. Senate in September, Talarico responded to a question about his views on trans athletes during an interview with MSNBC by saying, "We need not only the media, but all of us to focus on the real problem at hand."

"I think it's interesting. I've been in this race five days, and I've had a lot of interviews with national media — no one's ever asked me about the cost of housing," Talarico said. "No one's asked me about the cost of prescription drugs. No one's asked me about the cost of child care. The only thing the media wants to ask me about are trans athletes."

"So, what I would say is that the only minority destroying this country is the billionaires," he continued. "Trans people are one percent of the population. Undocumented people are one percent of the population. Muslims are one percent of the population. We are all focused on the wrong one percent. Trans people aren't taking away our health care. Undocumented people aren't defunding our schools. Muslims aren't cutting taxes for themselves and their rich friends. It's the billionaires and their puppet politicians."