Crockett fires back at JD Vance's 'street girl' comments, says it's a racist trope
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, fired back at Vice President JD Vance on Sunday during an interview after he mocked her Senate run and persona at a conference, arguing that she is authentic and his comments were racist.
"I’m sorry, but anybody that you talk to knows my credentials. They know that I’ve gone to school. They know that I’m educated. I never tried to put on some random story about where I came from, but at the end of the day, I am who I am, and I am authentic. And that is actually what they are fearful of, is my authenticity. Because it rings true with every single American, whether they’re Texan or not," Crockett said.
During Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025 on Sunday, Vance swiped at Crockett, who recently announced her longshot Senate run in Texas, saying "her street-girl persona is about as real as her nails!"
Crockett said Republicans "should be scared" during the interview on MS NOW.
"I don’t have time for him and their games. They are scared, and they should be scared. I need Texans to focus in. I need them to think about the fact that our two senators literally just voted against extending the Affordable Care Act tax subsidies," she said, referring to Republican Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn.
She slammed the Trump-backed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which she called the "ugly" bill, but said she was staying focused on her race.
"I’m not going to be distracted. And when they can tell me about their policies that are helping Texans, then we can have a conversation. Until then, take whatever shots you want to take at me. Because I have been a Black woman my entire life. I promise you, there are other people just like JD Vance, who have tried to do the same racist tropes my entire life, and somehow I ascended and became a U.S. congresswoman. It will not be different when I become a U.S. senator, and we can have a conversation when I get to the Senate floor if he wants to talk," Crockett said.
MS NOW host Catherine Rampell asked Crockett to elaborate on her policy positions, as she pointed out the lawmaker's campaign launch was mostly focused on her back-and-forth with President Donald Trump.
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Crockett told MS NOW she wanted to raise the minimum wage before taking aim at Trump's tariff policies and arguing that she wanted more oversight on the Supreme Court.
"We also know that ultimately, when I came down to making this decision, the Senate is the one that actually has oversight over the Supreme Court. It is time for us to actually exercise some oversight. And this is the only court, the highest court in the land, it’s the only one that does not have any type of ethics that they have to follow. I think that we need to look at that, in addition to the fact anyone who gets a lifetime appointment has to go through the Senate. And so it’s time for us to make sure that we have someone who has been in those courtrooms and can make sure that the right judges are on the benches," Crockett said.
Vance's office did not immediately return a request for comment.
Crockett's path to victory, even if she wins the Democratic nomination, looks difficult, given Texas' status as a red state. Texas hasn't elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1988, and Trump cruised to a double-digit win there in 2024.