Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett's entrance into the U.S. Senate race shook up the Democratic primary this week in Texas. 

While her run may not have been a surprise, her candidacy produced some surprises. Former Dallas Congressman Colin Allred decided to drop out of the Senate race at the last minute, hours before Crockett made it official and before the state's deadline for candidates to file their paperwork. 

Crockett will face State Representative James Talarico of Austin in the primary.

Crockett announces run for U.S. Senate seat

Crockett launched her campaign before hundreds of supporters on Monday in South Dallas. During her speech, she explained why she jumped into the race. 

"The more I saw the poll results, I couldn't ignore the trends, which were clear both as it relates to the primary as well as the general election," Crockett said. "I could have played it safe and continued serving in the United States House of Representatives for as long as my constituents would have me. But I don't choose to do that because Texas, this moment we're in now, is life or death. It's all or nothing. It's now or never."

She had a clear message to those who doubt her ability to win the primary or general election.

"There are those that say, ain't no way we didn't try it 50 kinds of ways. Let me be clear, y'all ain't never tried it the JC way. They're used to telling us what I can't do, but they have no idea what Crockett's crew will do. So, I just want to be clear for all the haters in the back. Listen up real loud. We're gonna get this thing done."

Crockett spoke with reporters after her speech, and when CBS News Texas asked her about her polling and her path to victory, she was vague. 

"I will tell you I was beating a specific candidate without being in the race. I won't say which one, I'm guessing y'all will try to extrapolate. I was one point down from the other candidate." 

She said polls only go so far. 

"People respect strength. They respect people who are authentic. As everybody who is a pundit sits around and tries to figure out how can somebody vote for Mamani and vote for Trump. How can somebody vote for AOC and vote for Trump? How can somebody vote for Obama and vote for Trump? Let me tell you something because people are looking for real people. They're tired of these politicians who are being told what to say, when to say it, and how to say it." 

Crockett told supporters she has stood up to President Trump and will continue to do so. 

"I'm the only candidate in this race who has served on the federal level who has taken on this administration and sought accountability. I'm the only one who has gone toe to toe with Donald Trump." 

She also criticized incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn. 

"He used to speak out against Trump, the candidate, and denounced the border wall. What happened, Big John? Because now all you're doing is bending the knee, kissing the ring and running ads about how you vote 99% of the time with Trump. Well, John, I kept telling you, you had a 1% problem." 

In response, Cornyn's campaign released a statement. 

"Jasmine Crockett does not represent the views of a majority of Texans. Her time in Congress has been marked by deeply unserious public statements, little to no actual work for her constituents, and over-the-top rhetoric and childish insults. She is radical, theatrical, and ineffective."

A new poll on the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate released Friday by Texas Southern University shows Crockett leading Talarico 51 to 43%. The poll was conducted one day after her speech, from Dec. 9 through Dec. 11, and spoke with 1,600 Democratic voters. 

Either Crockett or Talarico will face the winner of the GOP primary: Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton or Houston Congressman Wesley Hunt.

 According to Decision Desk HQ, the polling average in the GOP primary as of Dec. 4 shows Paxton leading with 32%, Cornyn with 27%, and Hunt at 23%.

Crockett is a "gift that keeps on giving" to Republicans

While Democrats welcomed Crockett to the Senate race, so did Republicans -- but for a very different reason. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick seemed elated on Wednesday that Crockett was running for U.S. Senate. 

"Jasmine Crockett is the gift that keeps on giving. She will turn out the Republican vote at a higher level than any Democrat to ever run for office the history of Texas. Every Republican will come out wherever they are next November to vote against Jasmine Crockett," he said. 

Political dominoes fall following Crockett's announcement

Several political dominoes fell Monday for some North Texas Democrats as Crockett announced her run for Senate. 

When Allred dropped out of the Senate race, he joined Congresswoman Julie Johnson in the Democratic primary for the newly drawn 33rd Congressional District, which is entirely in Dallas County. She succeeded Allred in office in the 32nd Congressional District after he ran against Senator Ted Cruz last year. 

Two other Democrats vying for this Democratic majority seat are activist Carlos Quintanilla and Zeeshan Hafeez.  

In an interview with CBS News Texas, Allred described his decision not to run for U.S. Senate. 

"It was a difficult one. We put a lot into this Senate race. There were a lot of folks that I met along the way who put their faith in me, they trusted me and told me their personal stories. I felt that came with a certain level of responsibility to do what I thought was the only best for the state," he said. 

Asked why he decided to run for the 33rd Congressional District, Allred said, "I think this is part of the result of Donald Trump and the Supreme Court successfully gerrymandering our state and forcing some of these races. But what I will do in this election is running here in my home. I think I've served Dallas, and Dallas knows me. I want to show them what I can do to represent us in Congress and how I could be a strong leader from day one." 

CBS News Texas also spoke with Congresswoman Johnson about Allred's entrance into this primary. 

She said, "I'm not surprised. He was dead last in the polling out of the field in that race. So, he was looking for a spot to try to run again. But I'm focused on my own campaign. We've worked really hard for the constituents in North Texas, really offering positive solutions going forward. I have a lot of bills that I've offered in the Congress to make life more affordable for North Texans, and I'm hoping to get the chance to see those through."  

She said she tried to prevent what became a game of political musical chairs for Democrats. 

"Redistricting is brutal. It's hard. It's one of the worst things that can happen. Republicans play their hand. It's time for Democrats to respond. I hate that it happened. I fought really hard to keep it from happening. But here we are. I have heard from so many people in the 33rd area. They want me to run there. They asked me to run there," said Johnson. 

Crockett's seat in the 30th Congressional District is now open, but will remain a Democratic seat. Her pastor, Frederick Haynes, III, of the Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, is running along with former State Representative Barbara Caraway and Rodney LaBruce.

Another political domino fell when Congressman Marc Veasey of Fort Worth decided against running for re-election to Congress under the new 2025 map upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. He's running for Tarrant County Judge against Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons in the Democratic primary. The winner will face the winner of the Republican primary: either incumbent Judge Tim O'Hare or Robert Buker.

The Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, Kendall Scudder, discussed the shake-up and falling dominoes. 

He told CBS News Texas, "Primaries are the sign of a healthy party. If we didn't have a party that was competitive in Texas, you wouldn't have primaries up and down the ballot. And so, to me, I think that it is something that's probably going to end up being par for the course for the Democrats as we get more and more competitive in Texas. It's an embarrassment of riches. We just have a lot of really great talent that's lining up to serve their communities, and I'm really excited to see who the people of Texas choose to be our nominees."

Scudder said the state party achieved a goal for the first time in 51 years. 

"For the first time since 1974, Democrats are going to have a candidate in every single state and federal seat on the ballot. And so, even though Republicans were trying dirty tricks.. Democrats still prevailed. I mean, I think it's very significant. I mean, what it means is that if you are a Republican in Texas, you don't get a free pass. You have to fight us for it," he said. 

The newly drawn 32nd Congressional District, which extends from Dallas to East Texas, will become a Republican majority seat. 

Eight candidates are running, including: 

• Ryan Binkley, who ran for president last year 
• Paul Bondar, who ran for Congress in Oklahoma last year 
• Aimee Carrasco 
• Darrell Day, who ran for the same district last year 
• Monty Montanez 
• James Ussery Abteen Vaziri 
• Jace Yarbrough, who ran last year for a State Senate seat in parts of Collin and Denton counties