Rev. Frederick Haynes, Jasmine Crockett’s pastor, wins Democratic nomination for her seat in Congress
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If elected in November, Haynes will join a legacy of Black pastors to enter Congress, including U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock and former Reps. Adam Clayton Powell, Floyd Flake, and Emmanuel Cleaver.
Rev. Frederick Haynes, a longtime Dallas pastor, has won the Democratic primary election to represent U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett‘s 30th Congressional District after her term ends on Jan. 3, 2027.
Haynes, who happens to be Crockett’s pastor, dominated the primary contest with over 70% of the vote. Given the district’s Democratic lean, Haynes will almost certainly win the general election on Nov. 3 and head to Congress next year.
“Let me send mad love to my pastor, Pastor Freddie Haynes, who will be the congressman for Texas 30,” Crockett said after the Tuesday night vote during an Instagram Live.
Haynes, a Dallas native, has served as pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church for more than 40 years. The 65-year-old, spirited orator has used his pulpit to preach the gospel and to fight against racial injustice. Haynes has also championed economic justice and empowerment for Black and Brown communities, which have been historically disenfranchised.
During the campaign, Haynes made clear that he saw his candidacy as a continuation of the tone Crockett set in the U.S. House seat to combat the Trump presidency and Republicans in Congress.
“Jasmine showed us to clap back at injustice, clap back at racism, white supremacy, toxic masculinity. And so my thing is, this election is our time rolling to clap back against injustice and clap back against the land of political violence and lying from a pathological liar,” said Haynes.
A member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Haynes is a graduate of Bishop College. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from the Graduate Theological Foundation. He also studied at Christ Church, Oxford University in Oxford, England.
If elected in November, Haynes would become the second Black pastor to enter Congress, joining U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, who is pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
Haynes said initially he had no intention of running for Crockett’s seat after the popular congresswoman declined to seek reelection to instead run for U.S. Senate in Texas. As she weighed her decision, she sought counsel from Haynes, who prayed with her beforehand.
When rumors circulated about a possible run for Haynes, Crockett immediately contacted him and gave her his blessing.
”She gave me some see advice because she is, without question, a fighter who has raised the profile of a district that was already gifted the legacy of [former Congresswoman] Eddie Bernice Johnson,” Haynes told NBC DFW. “And so with that national profile that she has brought to the district, she just talked to me about the challenges that come with that, as well as some of the things that she would hope I would look to do in this position.”
Haynes recalled a legacy of Black preachers who have served in Congress, including Adam Clayton Powell, Floyd Flake, and Emmanuel Cleaver. The Texas pastor said they all “brought a social justice dimension to their ministry and believed that justice should inform politics.”
Haynes said his priorities, if elected, will be affordability, environmental justice, and education.