On March 3, I walked into that oddly segregated polling location and voted for Jasmine Crockett for U.S. Senate.
Now, I truly like her opponent, James Talarico. I’ve followed his journey since last year, and I’ve always felt he was genuine, a man truly committed to creating change for everyone. I value what he stands for so much that I remember wishing he’d run for federal office just so I could vote for him. And come November, I’ll be happy to do just that because his authenticity is exactly what we need.
But when it came down to it yesterday, I chose Jasmine.
Among so many other reasons, I chose her because she is an intelligent, hardworking, qualified Black woman who deserved to be chosen.
There’s weight in that word. Black women deserve to be chosen, even though time and time again, we’re left standing on the sidelines. And let’s be clear: I don’t mean we deserve it just because we’re Black—though we know the history of who gets chosen simply for being white and male. We deserve it because we’ve earned it.
Just look at the receipts Jasmine brought to the table:
- She’s got the degrees—a B.A. in Business Administration and a law degree to match.
- She built her own firm from the ground up and fought on the front lines, representing over 400 protesters pro bono because she truly cares about our civil rights.
- She served as a public defender, shielding our children from being exploited by a system that rarely sees them as kids.
- In the Texas Legislature and the U.S. House, she’s been a warrior for voting rights and justice reform, never “holding her tongue” when faced with blatant disrespect in those marble halls.
That’s just the highlights. Yet, despite that resume, she didn’t win the primary. Some will point to “mistakes”—entering the race late, her stance on certain issues, or not playing the traditional political game. But let’s call it what it is: America has a long, dusty track record of ignoring Black women when a white man is in the room.
The math tells the story: In 237 years of Congress, there have only been 14 Black senators.
Only four of them have been Black women. Texas has never had a Black woman represent us in the Senate. Not once.
Think about that: It took 61 years after the first woman was elected to the Senate for a Black woman, Carol Moseley Braun, to get there in 1993. And we have still never had a Black woman governor of any state. Ever.
The odds have always been stacked. We felt it with Stacey Abrams, Donna Christensen, and Mia McLeod. We saw it with Kamala Harris, and now we’re feeling it with Jasmine. Even when we show up with double the credentials, we’re rarely the “favored outcome.”
So, while I don’t want to overshadow Talarico’s hard work, I have to hold space for two truths at once: I’m happy James Talarico won because he truly has a heart and track record of advocating for people. But I am deeply disappointed that Jasmine lost. I can celebrate a former teacher and a man of faith who actually cares for his fellow Americans while also condemning the racism, sexism, and misogynoir that constantly floods our elections and keeps saying “no” to women like Jasmine.
As Black women, we deserve to see ourselves in these political spaces. We deserve to be represented by women who know our struggle and carry our excellence. I hope more Black women keep running, even when the world tries to reject us. We’ve done the work, we’ve faced the scrutiny, and we’ve always shown up when it counts.
We’ve earned the right to lead, and it’s time for America to recognize it.