Cardi B endorses Jasmine Crockett; Ken Paxton responds with ‘Team Nicki Minaj’

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Jasmine Crockett / Cardi B (Getty Images)

DALLAS - A social media endorsement from rap superstar Cardi B has injected celebrity drama into the most expensive primary election in U.S. history. 

What we know:

The rapper took to her Instagram story this week to urge Texas voters to support U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary for the Texas Senate, emphasizing that Crockett is a candidate who will fight for the rights and issues of the community.

Ken Paxton responds to Cardi B endorsing Jasmine Crockett

The other side:

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton quickly responded to the endorsement on X, formerly Twitter, by siding with Cardi B’s longtime industry rival. Paxton posted that he is "team Nicki Minaj," referencing the rapper who has recently aligned herself with the Republican party. 

Nicki Minaj, who previously criticized Donald Trump’s immigration policies, recently declared herself the former president’s "number one fan" and appeared on stage with him at a campaign event. The public feud between Cardi B and Minaj dates back to 2017 and has frequently involved social media disputes and "diss tracks."

Latest on the Texas Senate Race

Dig deeper:

The celebrity exchange comes as spending for the Texas Senate primary surpasses $110 million, fueled by heated races in both parties. While Republican spending accounts for the majority of that total, the Democratic side has seen approximately $26 million in advertising. State Rep. James Talarico has led that spending with $21.5 million, significantly outpacing Crockett’s $4.5 million in ad buys.

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Texas GOP Senate race neck and neck with primary just days away, poll finds

Key Republican races appear headed for run-offs as latest polling shows close races in the Senate and attorney general primaries.

Despite the spending gap, polling from the Texas Polling Project shows Crockett holding a lead with 56% of potential Democratic primary voters, compared to 44% for Talarico. Crockett also maintains a higher favorability rating at 71%, while Talarico sits at 59%. Analysts noted that Talarico’s favorability has slipped since August 2025, though a recent interview on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" could improve his name recognition as the primary concludes.

On the Republican side, Paxton remains a popular figure among his base with a 52% favorability rating. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn followed closely with 50% favorability, while challenger Hunt trailed at 39%. A significant portion of Republican voters, roughly 32%, reported they were unfamiliar with Hunt, compared to only 10% who said the same of Paxton.