A seismic shift is underway in Texas’s 30th Congressional District. Frederick Haynes III, the pastor and mentor to Representative Jasmine Crockett, has secured the Democratic primary win, positioning him as the likely successor to her House seat following her unsuccessful Senate bid.
Haynes is a deeply influential figure in Dallas, having led Friendship-West Baptist Church for nearly four decades. But his rise to prominence isn’t without controversy, and a closer look reveals a pattern of provocative statements and deeply held beliefs that challenge conventional political narratives.
Just days after the horrific attacks in Israel last October, Haynes delivered a sermon that ignited a firestorm. He condemned what he termed Israeli “apartheid” and publicly praised Louis Farrakhan, a figure widely known for his antisemitic rhetoric – including the infamous comparison of Jews to termites.
Beyond his stance on Israel, Haynes is a vocal and uncompromising advocate for reparations. He has repeatedly asserted that America owes a debt to its Black citizens, a debt born from centuries of injustice and exploitation. “America, you owe us,” he declared to a congregation in San Francisco, “What you done to us has been immoral. It’s been evil.”
His call for reparations isn’t merely symbolic. Haynes frames it as a necessary condition for national salvation, a reckoning with a painful past that continues to shape the present. He argues that the nation’s wealth was built on the backs of enslaved people and that true redemption requires financial restitution.
The primary election results were decisive. Haynes captured a commanding 72.6% of the vote, leaving his opponents far behind. Former state representative Barbara Caraway received 23.1%, while another pastor, Rodney LaBruce, garnered a mere 4.3%.
Haynes’s platform closely mirrors the progressive ideals championed by “The Squad,” the group of progressive lawmakers Crockett aligned with during her time in Congress. He supports policies like Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and raising the minimum wage.
On election night, Haynes echoed claims of voter suppression leveled by Crockett and other Democrats, alleging Republican interference in the Texas primaries. This narrative of disenfranchisement adds another layer to the complex political landscape surrounding his victory.
His activism extends beyond the pulpit. In 2023, Haynes participated in a reparations rally outside the White House, passionately arguing that the United States was founded on “the sin of a hostile, genocidal takeover of Indigenous land and shaped by anti-Black White supremacy.”
Years before, in 2017, Haynes publicly embraced Louis Farrakhan, calling him a “wonderful and great man” on social media. This association, coupled with his post-October 7th remarks, has drawn intense scrutiny and raised serious questions about his views.
The controversy didn’t stop there. Following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Haynes downplayed the event, refusing to characterize it as an assassination and launching a critique of Kirk’s views, which he labeled as “rooted in white supremacy.” He then contrasted the media coverage with that of assassinations of civil rights leaders.
As Haynes prepares to potentially take his place in Congress, his past statements and unwavering convictions are certain to fuel debate and scrutiny, marking a new and potentially turbulent chapter in Texas politics.
