No Democrat in Texas has been elected to a statewide office since the mid-1990's.

Lloyd Bentsen was the last Democrat from Texas elected to the U.S. Senate in 1988. That occurred months before James Talarico was even born.

Talarico, an Austin-area state representative who taught at a middle school on San Antonio's West Side earlier in his career, hopes to end both of those losing streaks Nov. 3.