From right, moderator James Barragn speaks with Stephanie Valencia, president, Equis Research; Jason Villalba, chair and CEO, Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation; and Sergio Garca-Ros, assistant professor, LBJ School of Public Policy, during a panel discussion at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 26, 2026.

Credit: Texas Tribune / Jacob Lujan Texas candidates have targeted the state's Latino population earlier and more intensely this election cycle, signaling how critical the bloc is to both parties amid critical races along the border and beyond, a panel of analysts said Saturday during the Texas Tribune Festival.

"You're seeing state candidates do a much better job putting media in the ether earlier and being consistent about that," Jason Villalba, head of the Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation and a former Republican state representative, said.