Texas Democrats, underdogs for decades, probed for possible Republican weakness this election year at a biennial convention that focused on restoring access to abortion, protecting transgender rights and fortifying the electric grid.
The goals were listed in a draft of the party platform released Saturday at the gathering in Dallas, where lawmakers, strategists and candidates assembled over the past few days to plot strategy for November’s election. Delegates had been slated to vote on approving the document, but the lack of a quorum prevented the ballot from taking place.
Democrats haven’t won a statewide race since 1994 in Texas and face a tough outlook this year amid dismal approval ratings for President Joe Biden. Still, party faithful in the Lone Star State are hoping their support of gun control and abortion rights could give them some momentum, especially among moderates swayed by the Uvalde school massacre and the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
