Texas Democrats optimistic of election wins ahead of 2018 convention

The 2018 Texas Democratic Convention has started in Fort Worth amid tensions in the state over the Trump Administration’s stance on immigration.

Democrats remain optimistic leading into a general election in November that the party can actually pull off a major win against the Republicans. Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994.

There are more Democrats than Republicans registered to run for the Texas Legislature for the first time in a decade, according to the Texas Observer.

Democrats candidates are also running in all 36 congressional districts, something that hasn’t happened since the early 1980s, the Observer also noted.

Perhaps the biggest race to watch this election cycle is that between El Paso Rep. Beto O’Rourke and Sen. Ted Cruz. Part of the party’s optimism comes from O’Rourke’s ability to outraise Cruz in funding and visits to all 254 counties in the state.

The some 9,000 Democrats are meeting for events and speeches until Sat. June 23.