U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett has much to think about as Texas Republicans prepare to approve a new congressional map that would significantly impact her district.
During a recent interview with CBS News, Crockett shared she is considering running in a different district next year after Texas Republicans redrew a map that puts her residence outside her 30th Congressional District. Crockett will have to decide whether to run for office in the neighboring 33rd Congressional District or potentially find a new home.
However, the latter option is not an ideal one for Crockett.
“As a single woman who has one income, who’s not allowed to make outside income, there’s a lot to be had there,” Crockett said about her decision-making process.
“The idea of actually buying a new home…We don’t get enough money. I mean, I’m being honest, and I know that some people may take issue with that, because they talk about how much money we make, and I get it. It’s not that we’re obviously getting minimum wage,” the Texas congresswoman explained. “It’s a matter of do you sell your home, then go somewhere else and get a higher interest rate.”
Crockett shared that the current mortgage interest rate is 3%. According to Freddie Mac, the average national interest rate is more than 6%.
A major part of Crockett’s decision will depend on how her constituents feel about her potentially living outside of her district. She explained that, unlike state legislators, members of Congress are not required to live within district lines. However, Congresswoman Crockett said her campaign will conduct polling to learn more about the new 200,000 voters in her redrawn 30th Congressional District, and whether they prefer a representative who lives there.
Crockett said her decision is not being taken lightly, reiterating, “They don’t pay me enough to go and buy another home.” The annual salary for members of the United States Congress is $174,000.
Despite the reality of having her district and others represented by Democrats, Crockett said the redistricting plan is clear racial discrimination, as the districts targeted have majority Black and Latino populations.
“These have to be some of the most obviously racially gerrymandered and terrible lines that I’ve ever seen in the state of Texas,” she told CBS. “Why is it that you continue to try to dilute their voices and don’t want them to be heard?
She added, “It is about making sure in the state that has more African-Americans than any other state, that they are not left with their voices only amounting to one-fifth the strength of their Caucasian counterparts.”
