Crockett: Vance Using ‘Racist Tropes’ Because He’s Afraid I’ll Turn TX Blue
Rep. Jasmine Crockett said Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent remarks about her were rooted in racial stereotyping and political fear, arguing that Republicans are alarmed by her potential to flip Texas by winning a U.S. Senate seat.
Appearing Sunday on MS NOW’s “The Weekend,” Crockett responded to comments Vance made at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference, where he mocked her candidacy and background. Vance told the crowd, “Jasmine Crockett, oh, Jasmine Crockett, the record speaks for itself. She wants to be a senator, though her street-girl persona is about as real as her nails.”
During the segment, co-host Antonia Hylton reacted sharply to the remark, saying, “I think every Black woman heard what he was trying to say there. What do you think he’s trying to signal at a conference like this to an audience like this?”
Crockett said Vance’s comments were aimed at energizing his supporters while avoiding substantive debate. “Well, first of all, he’s trying to rile up his base, because right now we know that no matter if we’re looking in deep red Tennessee, Mississippi or Georgia, we know that we’re swinging no less than ten points. And unlike what we’ve had historically in Texas, because I know that you talked about the Texas dream of turning us blue, is that we have a candidate in me who absolutely plans to talk to any and everybody, and that is why they are afraid,” she said.
She pushed back strongly against Vance’s characterization of her, emphasizing her background and qualifications. “The fact that he said, I have a quote-unquote’ street-girl persona,’ 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,” Crockett said.
Crockett argued that authenticity, not rhetoric, is what resonates with voters and unsettles her critics. “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. It rings true that I am fighting for real, everyday people,” she said.
Turning the focus back on Vance, Crockett challenged his record and standing. “And instead of talking about policy, when you’re talking about, ‘The record speaks for itself’ — baby, let’s talk about your record, because the only reason you’re the vice president is because the current president tried to have his last vice president killed. Lets talk about qualifications,” she said.
She concluded by saying attacks will not deter her and that she is ready to debate policy at any time. “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 J.D. 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.”
{Matzav.com}
