In a video accompanying her entry into the Texas race to unseat Republican John Cornyn, Crockett stands in side profile as she listens to President Donald Trump repeatedly insult her IQ. When Trump raises his voice to call her name, she stays quiet but turns to the camera to face more vitriol from the president.
He questions her ability to lead the Democrats back. Finally, she cracks a smile, leading to the simple message: “Crockett for U.S. Senate.”
The lawmaker is going to need a sense of humor because the hate from Trump and other Republicans will likely intensify in an effort to keep her from winning. First she’ll have to advance past what could be a tight Democratic primary against state Rep. James Talarico.
“I could have played it safe and continued serving in the United States House of Representatives for as long as my constituents were happy,” she said at her campaign kickoff in Dallas. “But I don’t choose to do that, because Texas, this moment we’re in now, is life or death.”
“Sadly enough, we all know that Sen. John Cornyn does not have the guts to stand up to Trump,” Crockett added. “I can tell y’all who does: I do.”
Even though she routinely expresses opposition to Trump out loud, her ad just proved she can do it without saying a word.