Democratic strategist Ashley Etienne, a former advisor to President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris, has warned that a lack of enthusiasm among Texas Black voters could pose a significant challenge to Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico.
Etienne identified a sentiment of being "betrayed" among Black voters, particularly Black women, following the primary victory of Talarico, a Texas state lawmaker, over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. This feeling, she suggested, could undermine Talarico's chances of flipping a Texas Senate seat blue, an outcome not seen in decades.
"Some voters, Black women in particular, are feeling as though the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates want our labor, but not our leadership," Etienne explained, citing Crockett's loss as a key example, alongside Vice President Harris's past electoral outcomes.
While Talarico has faced scrutiny for past controversial statements, including remarks about Christianity and gender, Etienne believes the "betrayal" sentiment could be a more substantial obstacle. She noted that approximately 1.1 million registered Black voters in Texas do not currently vote, representing a crucial demographic that Talarico would need to mobilize.
Etienne emphasized the role of Black women as a "force multiplier" within the Black electorate. "We have the ability to bring the entire community to – and we have proven that we do this every cycle after cycle – bring the entire community to the polls," she said. "If the mood of Black women is low, then you lose an opportunity … to really reach and mobilize and engage and energize the rest of the Black community."
Dallas Jones, another Democratic strategist who served as the Texas political director for the 2020 Biden-Harris campaign, echoed Etienne's concerns about Black voter enthusiasm. Jones criticized what he described as pressure from Talarico supporters on Crockett to campaign for him, suggesting that such actions could alienate Crockett's supporters.
"There's rhetoric that's being turned up that she has to come and support him, and a lot of that is coming from people that support him," Jones said. "So, what it translates to is people basically telling this accomplished, decorated, Black female member of Congress what she ought to do. And all that does is stoke flames and fires for her supporters, who are saying, ‘She really doesn't have to do anything. You won, you're the nominee, you come earn our vote, she doesn't have to help you do that.’"
Despite Talarico's controversial remarks, Jones suggested they might not significantly impact the Black vote in Texas, especially when contrasted with the Republican alternative, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. "Black Texans that show up in November are not voting for Ken Paxton," Jones stated. "The challenge is creating the enthusiasm to get enough of them to go and vote for him."
Jones concluded that for Talarico, the race is less about persuasion and more about generating enthusiasm within the Black electorate. "It's not a persuasion game, it's an enthusiasm game."