Dan Crenshaw Blames 'Misinformation' For His Big Election Upset
Outgoing Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw says his decisive loss in the March 3 Texas GOP primary was largely driven by what he described as a wave of online misinformation that shaped voter perceptions before they went to the polls.
Crenshaw, who had represented Texas’ 2nd Congressional District for four terms, was defeated by Republican state Rep. Steve Toth in a race that surprised many political observers. Toth won the primary by roughly 15 percentage points despite pre-election polling and betting markets that had widely favored the incumbent.
Appearing on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Crenshaw told host Margaret Brennan that his defeat reflected a broader problem with political information circulating online.
“Well, I mean,” Crenshaw said with a brief laugh, “I’m a unique Republican.”
He argued that he had long been the subject of what he called smear campaigns and conspiracy theories that spread widely across social media and political commentary networks.
“You know, I’ve been the target of online smears and conspiracies for a very long time,” Crenshaw said. “My election was basically a product of that.”
Crenshaw suggested that the dynamics of low-turnout primaries make campaigns especially vulnerable to narratives that gain traction online. In his view, only a small share of Republican voters participate in primary elections, which magnifies the impact of viral claims circulating through digital platforms.
“You have about 20% of Republican voters bothering to even vote in a primary,” he said. “And then you have dozens of online smears and conspiracies that people were going into the voting booth actually believing.”
Among the claims he referenced were accusations related to alleged insider trading, which Crenshaw said were repeatedly debunked but continued circulating among voters.
“Doesn’t matter how many times we thought we had debunked that, or that other people and influencers have debunked it,” he said. “People still went in believing it.”
Crenshaw also pointed to outside political spending during the race. He argued that Democratic groups contributed to the spread of negative narratives about him through television advertising and campaign messaging.
“Democrats spent almost a million dollars also pushing these smears on television,” he said. “So Republican voters are going to the voting booth believing what a Democrat told them on TV based on a smear headline written by a liberal reporter in D.C.”
In previous election cycles, Democratic organizations have occasionally spent money in Republican primaries to boost candidates they believe may be weaker in general elections. However, Crenshaw’s district—covering parts of the Houston suburbs—is widely considered a safe Republican seat. Under recently redrawn district boundaries, the area voted for President Donald Trump by approximately 23 points in the 2024 election, according to data compiled by Dave’s Redistricting App.
Crenshaw concluded by arguing that voters themselves must play a larger role in verifying political information before casting ballots.
“That’s the lesson,” he said. “And it’s not just for Republican politicians. It’s the lesson for Republican voters.”
The race also unfolded against a backdrop of tension between Crenshaw and prominent figures within the populist wing of the Republican Party. Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson had criticized Crenshaw during an October 2025 interview with Toth, accusing him of straying from the America First movement and criticizing his positions on issues such as immigration and U.S. policy toward Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Carlson also referenced questions about Crenshaw’s stock trading activity during the discussion.
Earlier in 2025, a video surfaced showing Crenshaw making a heated remark about Carlson during a private conversation, saying he would “kill” the commentator if they ever met. The comment was widely interpreted as hyperbolic, though it generated significant attention online.
When asked about the exchange months later, Carlson downplayed the remark while offering a pointed critique of the congressman.
“I don’t think Dan Crenshaw is the worst person in the world or anything like that,” Carlson said. “I feel sorry for Dan Crenshaw. He’s clearly a very troubled guy.”