Texas Democrats align on taxes, diverge on Trump impeachment

Candidates Position Themselves as Fighters

Both Crockett and Talarico said the Senate position requires what Crockett called “a fighter.” Crockett, a 44-year-old Dallas civil rights lawyer and former public defender in her second term in the U.S. House, cast herself as a high-profile adversarial figure challenging the system that, in her framing, holds people down.

“I am here to fight the system, the system that is holding so many of us down,” Crockett said. “It is about tapping into the rawness of this moment.”

Talarico, a former public school teacher serving his fourth term in the Texas House, characterized himself as an active opponent of the Republican-controlled state legislature, particularly Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda on tax credits for private-school choice.

“We need a proven fighter for our schools, for our values, for our constituents in the halls of power,” Talarico said. “I think we need a teacher in the United States Senate.”

Impeachment Emerges as Key Dividing Line

The candidates diverged sharply on Trump impeachment. Crockett said she would support impeachment proceedings against Trump, beginning with investigating his use of tariffs.

“I think that there is more than enough to impeach Donald Trump,” Crockett said. “Ultimately, do I think we should go through the formal process? Absolutely.”

Talarico said the Trump administration “has certainly committed impeachable offenses” but declined to specify whether he would support impeachment proceedings. He said that as a senator, he would weigh evidence presented during any impeachment trial fairly, noting that the Senate votes to convict or acquit but does not bring charges.

“I’m not going to articulate articles of impeachment here at a political debate,” he said.

Different Approaches to Immigration Enforcement

Both candidates condemned a shooting in Minneapolis in which federal immigration officers killed a man on Saturday and criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s heavy presence in the city. Talarico was more specific about cutting the agency’s funding.

“We absolutely have to clean house,” Crockett said of ICE. “Whatever that looks like, I’m willing to do it.”

Talarico was more direct: “We should take that money back and put it in our communities where it belongs.”

Both said they support impeachment proceedings against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, under whom ICE operates.

Alignment on Economic Policy and Healthcare

Crockett and Talarico generally aligned on domestic economic policy. Both proposed ending tariffs as a way to lower consumer prices.

“We have to roll back these tariffs,” Crockett said. “It’s hurting farmers and ranchers who are filing a record number of bankruptcies.”

On taxation, the candidates agreed on the direction but Talarico was more direct about implementing higher taxes on the wealthiest Americans.

“What I will not compromise on is making sure these billionaires pay for all that they have gotten from this country,” Talarico said, though he stopped short of specifying how much he would raise taxes.

Crockett voted last summer against the Republican-controlled Congress’s tax-cut and spending-reduction bill, which Trump signed. The bill extended tax cuts from Trump’s first administration.

On healthcare, both candidates expressed support for universal coverage. Crockett said she supported Medicare for all, a government-backed health insurance program for all Americans.

“If we truly believe that everyone should have access to health care, we can make that a reality with bold leadership,” she said.

Talarico expressed support for the concept of universal healthcare and spoke favorably of universal basic income pilot programs, though he did not indicate he would specifically support the policy in the Senate.

“I’m very encouraged by some pilot programs of universal basic income,” he said.

Candidate Positioning for Primary Voters

Crockett, who is Black, said she was better positioned to attract disaffected Black voters, while Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian who often discusses his Christian faith, suggested he could appeal to rural voters unhappy with Republicans.

The hour-long debate before hundreds of labor union members at the Texas AFL-CIO political convention served as an early preview of themes Democrats hoping to gain ground in the Senate in November will likely stress throughout the campaign. The primary winner on March 3 will ultimately face the victor of a Republican contest that includes Cornyn, U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.