Rep. Jasmine Crockett is not letting Vice President JD Vance off the hook for his racist comments about her. The Texas Democrat aired out Vance and the Republican Party during an appearance on The View, calling them out for their divide-and-conquer strategy toward people of color.
Crockett calls out Vance for racist ‘street girl’ attack
Crockett discussed Vance’s disparaging remarks about her as she appeared on The View on Tuesday. As Blavity previously reported, Vance made the offensive comments during a speech at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in December. Vance ridiculed Crockett in front of the conservative crowd, saying, “The record speaks for itself. She wants to be a senator, though her street girl persona is about as real as her nails.” Asked to comment on the clip, Crockett told The View audience, “So first of all, my nails are real.”
Crockett highlighted her legal career. “The reality is, I was a criminal defense attorney, I was a public defender, I am somebody who walked into plenty of jails and dealt with real killers. So, let me be clear, I understand what happens in the streets, but I don’t have to quote-unquote be a ‘street girl,’” she said.
When asked by co-host Joy Behar if Vance’s attack was racist, Crockett was clear: “Joy, you know it’s racist. We know that.”
Republicans trying to curb Crockett’s appeal
Crockett has been a rising star within the Democratic Party and one of its most prominent anti-Trump voices for years, drawing frequent racist attacks from Trump and his supporters, with Vance being the latest to go after the congresswoman. Vance’s attacks against Crocket’s authenticity are ironic given that the vice president has in the past been criticized by those who say he has exaggerated and stereotyped his own working-class Appalachian upbringing, as well as those who call him out for changing his positions on Trump; Vance portrayed himself as a “never Trump guy” before becoming a pro-Trump Senate candidate.
Vance’s attack against Crockett came shortly after Crockett launched her campaign for the U.S. Senate. On The View, Crockett explained Vance’s attack in terms of politics, saying that Republicans are “disturbed” that Crockett is “able to get at a demographic that Democrats have been losing” in recent years. Crocket noted polls showing that “those that don’t have a college degree, by over 70% choose me.” Facing this reality, Crockett explained that Republicans were attacking her background and authenticity as a way to attempt to “divide minorities about who Jasmine is.” Crockett remains confident in her appeal.
“We are all in the same sinking ship; whether you’re Black, white, Asian,” Crockett proclaimed, saying that she is “fighting for all Texans.” Crockett will demonstrate whether or not her message resonates with Texans when the state votes on March 3 in the Democratic Senate primary.