The Texas Senate race through the eyes of a mega-influencer

After months of campaign barnstorms, viral videos, and one too many influencer feuds, the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Texas ends today. Democrats are hoping that whoever emerges victorious—either Rep. Jasmine Crockett or State Rep. James Talarico—will have a fighting chance to flip the state amidst a potential “Blue Wave” in November.

On the ground in Texas, I’m told the campaign has been relatively tame and characterized by traditional retail politics from Lubbock to Austin. Online, though, it’s been something of a hot mess. Crockett’s will-she-or-won’t-she, last-minute entry into the race frustrated some establishment Democrats in Washington, while Talarico, already in the race, was hailed by many of those same out-of-state operatives as a rising star in the party.

Those frustrations eventually boiled over when a pair of prominent liberal podcasters caught flak for calling donations to Crockett a “waste of money,” and later one Democratic social media influencer accused Talarico of making a racist remark in an off-the-record conversation.

But while people outside Texas argued amongst themselves online, one of the country’s biggest social media influencers was trying to make an impact on the ground.

For those of you who follow political content on TikTok, you probably already know Carlos Eduardo Espina. With more than 14 million followers and over a billion total post likes on that platform alone, the Houston-based twenty-something is one of the largest independent news creators in the U.S—and one of the most influential sources of civic information for Latino audiences online. In terms of views and engagement, his posts often surpass those of legacy Spanish-language news brands like Telemundo, Univision, and their local affiliates. In 2024, Espina’s influence was large enough for the New York Times to call him “a one-man Telemundo on TikTok.”

His videos, usually packed with fast-moving commentary or quick explainers on the news of the day, have made him both a trusted news source and a political personality. Naturally, he’s exactly the kind of figure major campaigns now want in their corner, and that’s what happened when Espina was introduced to Talarico last fall.

“We met in Houston, late September or early October. We spoke for two or three hours and had a really good conversation. I told him there, ‘I’m going to support you,’ because I liked the work he’s doing and that he was open to listening,” Espina told me in an interview. “He realized the connection I have to the community and how I have a good sense of what people are feeling on issues. Ever since then, I’ve been making videos highlighting his stuff.”

Since then, Espina has served as a kind of super-volunteer and secret weapon for the Talarico campaign—completely unpaid but consistently producing content and making public appearances alongside the candidate. He helped the campaign launch its “Talarico en Español” outreach accounts, driving thousands of his followers to their social pages. Sometimes, he has offered them direct advice on improving their outreach to Spanish-speaking voters. For example, when he saw Talarico’s first Spanish-language TV ad, Espina didn’t hesitate to share feedback.

“They asked what I thought [about the ad]. I thought the voice was silly, like a dubbed movie… so I sent them back the ad with my own voiceover.” Although it was too late for the campaign to adjust that version, they immediately asked if Espina would be willing to narrate their next Spanish-language ad. He agreed, and the result was this video, which the campaign has been running to target Texas Latinos over the past week:

On the ground, Espina has been driving and flying around the state at his own expense, appearing at events from Dallas to the Rio Grande Valley and creating videos that help ground Talarico’s campaign in the state’s various Latino communities and highlight the campaign’s organizing strength. Last night, he introduced Talarico at the campaign’s final pre-election rally in Houston.

“It shows a different way campaigns can work with creators,” Espina says. “Most treat creators as mouthpieces, like saying ‘This is the message, amplify it,’ with not much back and forth. [With Talarico] it’s both ways. I listen because I like him, but I propose things. The ad was just an idea, and I was surprised they took it.”

So, will Espina’s efforts pay off? 

Pollsters say the primary has been hard to gauge, but recent surveys show Talarico as the underdog. Crockett’s strength among Black voters, combined with her support from older, white, anti-MAGA liberals, could give her the edge. But if Talarico manages an upset, it will be thanks in no small part to Espina’s relentless organizing and the influence he’s built among Latino communities across Texas.

More reads on the Texas Senate primary:

I find the Texas Senate race fascinating because it is a complex illustration of the current state of the Democratic Party—from online influencer drama to anti-oligarchy positioning, changing grassroots demographics, and everything else. I’ll be on hand to share my thoughts on the race during live election night coverage hosted by Texas independent newsroom The Barbed Wire. You can watch the stream starting at 7pm ET / 6pm CT on their YouTube channel below: