James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, is set to rally with supporters Thursday, as his underdog bid to become the first Democrat to win statewide in over 30 years heads into its final weeks.

The national conversation around Talarico's campaign has evolved over the past months.

Initially, the state lawmaker was considered just the latest of several Democratic candidates over the past years who gave the party a brimming hope of flipping Texas, only for that hope to deflate come Election Day.