Texas Democrats see path to statewide victory, but convention also reveals hurdles ahead

CORPUS CHRISTI – Texas Democrats left their convention with renewed enthusiasm, a call for unity and a strategy they hope will finally break the party’s three-decade statewide losing streak.

But even as Democrats are more bullish on their prospects than usual, they still face the daunting task of winning in a state where Republicans hold a durable advantage with voters.

The convention that ended Saturday offered an early blueprint for the fall campaign, from making Ken Paxton a central target to energizing their base, appealing to swing voters and lifting candidates across the ballot.

Those themes were on display throughout the gathering in the coastal city.

The party’s Senate nominee, James Talarico, says Paxton’s personal and ethical controversies have left him vulnerable.

During his convention speech, Talarico, a state representative from Austin, described Paxton as the “most corrupt politician in America.” 

His criticism ranged from portraying the attorney general as a tool who does the “bidding” of “tyrants” to comparing him to an obnoxious regular at a Texas bar who “adds some drinks to your tab when you’re not looking.”

“That’s Ken Paxton,” Talarico said to thunderous applause. “I don’t know about y’all, but I’m done picking up his tab.”

Part of Talarico’s strategy is to cast Paxton as a candidate too unsavory for Texas. Paxton has rejected those attacks, and voters will decide what’s shaping up to be a nasty fight.

Democrats are largely unified behind their November ticket, but lingering tensions remain between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and Talarico after their tough primary.

Some delegates wore shirts or carried tote bags that read “Stand with Black Women,” partly in reference to voters who rejected Crockett over concerns that an outspoken Black woman was unelectable in Texas. Crockett did not attend the convention.

Talarico acknowledged those strains when addressing the party’s Black Caucus.

“For too long, let’s just be very honest, the Democratic Party has a troubling history of taking Black voters for granted,” he said. Now he must make inroads not only with reliable Black voters but also with those who need more coaxing to turn out. 

That’s hard work that will take time and resources.

Talarico won’t be hurting for campaign cash. He’s already setting fundraising records. 

But most Democrats lower on the ballot will be outspent by their Republican opponents. 

That includes state Rep. Gina Hinojosa of Austin, who is up against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and his campaign account, which is projected to exceed $150 million.

She’ll get the media attention that comes from a high-profile race, but the rest of the ticket will be obscured by the Senate race and national politics.

Democrats hope a wave of anti-Republican voters will help their cause, and some operatives are focused solely on down-ballot efforts.

They benefited during the wave elections of 2008 and 2018, making gains in the Texas House. But those elections included straight-ticket voting, which has since been eliminated.

In his speech, Talarico invoked pioneering Texans Sam Houston, Lyndon B. Johnson, Barbara Jordan and Ann Richards as leaders who, he said, put the interests of Texans ahead of partisan politics.

The message was aimed at countering Republican attacks that Democrats are out of touch with Texas values while rooting the party’s vision in its own Texas history.

The party, however, has changed significantly since the eras of those four political giants. And Democrats don’t have much statewide inspiration from the past three decades. 

None of the party’s previous seven Senate nominees, from former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk in 2002 through former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas in 2024, spoke at the convention or attended.

To revive their Texas prospects in 2026, Democrats are reaching beyond their recent past.