The biggest rap rivalry in music just landed in the most expensive Senate primary in American history.
Cardi B took to Instagram Thursday morning, posting a video to her 164 million followers urging Texas voters to support U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the state’s Democratic Senate primary. “If you want somebody that’s going to fight for your rights, if you want somebody to fight for your community… please vote for my sister, Jasmine Crockett,” the Bronx rapper said, according to The Hill.
The endorsement dropped during early voting, which ends today (February 27), with the primary set for March 3. And it didn’t take long for the other side to respond.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who’s running for the Republican Senate nomination, posted on X declaring himself “Team Nicki Minaj,” FOX 7 Austin reported. It was a reference to Cardi B’s longtime rival, who recently aligned herself with Donald Trump and the GOP, even appearing on stage with the former president. With one post, Paxton turned a hip-hop beef into a political proxy war.
The Stakes Are Record-Breaking
This isn’t just celebrity drama dropped into a normal election cycle. The Texas Senate primary has shattered spending records, with advertising costs topping $110 million, the most ever for a Senate primary in American history, according to ad-tracking firm AdImpact.
On the Democratic side, Crockett leads state Rep. James Talarico 56% to 44% in a University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll. She commands 87% support among Black voters. Her campaign has been intentionally unconventional, showing up at bars, concerts, and flea markets to reach voters who traditionally skip primaries, CNN reported.
Crockett embraced the endorsement on X, posting “Okurrr” and “Y’all heard my good sis!!!”
On the Republican side, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn faces challenges from Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt, with Cornyn and allied groups spending nearly $70 million on advertising alone.
Why This Matters
Celebrity endorsements in politics are nothing new. But this one hits different for a few reasons.
First, Cardi B’s reach is enormous. She’s speaking directly to young voters and communities of color who are often the hardest to reach during primary elections. Crockett’s entire strategy is built around activating those exact voters.
Second, the Paxton response made it bigger. By invoking the Cardi-Nicki rivalry, he pulled hip-hop’s most famous beef directly into electoral politics. Whether that helps or hurts him is debatable, but it guaranteed the story would travel far beyond political media.
Third, this race matters nationally. Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988. If Crockett wins the primary and stays competitive in November, it could reshape how campaigns think about voter engagement and cultural endorsements.
The Takeaway
Early voting in Texas ends today. The primary is March 3. If you’re in Texas and haven’t voted yet, this is your window. The fact that hip-hop culture is driving real conversation in a $110 million Senate race tells you everything about where politics and culture are heading. The question is whether the energy translates to actual turnout.
