Democrats Can Learn from GOP Mistakes
with Event that Unifies and Expands Reach Texas General Election Polls
Capitol Inside
June 25 2026
CORPUS CHRISTI - The Texas Democratic Convention got off the ground here on Thursday as a stage to accomplish exactly what the state GOP's event this month never attempted to do by appealing to voters outside the base.
With James Talarico giving the Democrats their best shot to win a U.S. Senate seat in 38 years, the chief mission at the party's biennial gathering in Corpus Christi will be designed to energize and fortify the party faithful whose enthusiastic support is paramount.
But after watching the Republicans steer their party farther to the right without lip service to voters in the middle, the Democrats have the opportunity to craft a message that appeals to the party faithful as well as the independents who appear poised to decide the Senate race.
A major objective at the state convention in the largest Texas coastal city should be the refining of a plan to reclaim support from Latino voters who abandoned the party amid a fascination with President Donald Trump. While some of the Hispanic voters will not be back, polls show that Talarico has a substantial lead over Paxton among Latinos and an even greater advantage with Black voters while the Republican had the advantage with men and voters who are white.
But the Democratic state convention's most important aspect may be the opportunity it gives Talarico to set the record straight at a time when Paxton and the Republican have gone to extreme lengths attempting to define him. The Republicans ramped the Talarico attacks on Thursday - with Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick joining in the poundings as though the Democrats' Senate contender was their own opponent in the fall.
Abbott shared photos on social media of billboards his campaign erected on highways leading to the coast with pictures of Talarico paired with Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Zohran Mandami with claims about the Senate candidate that were false or misleading about positions on issues like taxes and the participation of boys in girls sports and the implication he favors socialism.
Abbott also unveiled a new web site - radicaltexas.com - designed to paint Talarico as a dangerous extremist.
Paxton took the lead in the Talaricio barrage with the release of an ad that depicts the Democrat as a hypocrite who's the antithesis of Texans and Texas values.
"Talarico wants to teach trans ideology in schools and let boys compete in girls sports," the Paxton video alleges. "Talarico says it's immoral to use the oil and gas that employs millions of Texans. Talarico wants higher taxes and policies that will raise prices on families Hypocrite James Talarico will do anything to push his radical agenda - even if it leaves families broke and jobless."
Patrick contributed to the rhetorical assaults when he repeated his assertion that Talarico was doomed to hell as a result of blasphemous language about God during the campaign.
Patrick revived the prediction on Talarico going to hell on a new podcast that featured Paxton as the inaugural guest. Patrick named the new show Lt. Dan in a play on the character in the Oscar-winning movie Forrest Gump.
more to come ...
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