CORPUS CHRISTI (Nexstar) — Statewide Texas Democratic candidates will take the stage at the Hilliard Center in downtown Corpus Christi Friday evening to rally the thousands of delegates from around the state who have descended on the coastal bend city for the party’s biannual convention.

The convention is a time for the party’s delegates to unite behind their candidates, elect their party leaders for the next two years, and decide on their party’s legislative priorities and platform.

A lot of eyes will be on State Rep. James Talarico, D – Austin, who is looking to become the first Texas Democrat to win a statewide seat in more than three decades. He is taking on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a race for the U.S. Senate.

Talarico’s campaign has gained national attention for his ability to fundraise and get his message to younger voters. Polling in the past six months shows Talarico and Paxton are in a close race for the coveted Senate seat. He won a competitive primary against Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett where more than two million voters cast a ballot in the Democratic primary, outpacing the Republican primary.

The convention kicked off Thursday night with a live performance from Tejano musician legend Bobby Pulido, who is also running to flip a congressional seat in south Texas. Pulido sang some of his greatest hits to the delegates in the Hilliard Center on Thursday night. Pulido said he is running as a Democrat because he wants to help people.

“I want to help you my brother,” Pulido said to delegates. “You’re down on your luck, I want to help you help yourself so you can get up there. That’s our spirit. We can never lose that spirit because at the end of the day there’s a lot of people out there who voted Republican. And if we have the right message, we will convince them to come back on our side, I promise you that.”

Expect candidates on Friday night to rally their base about taking back Texas from Republican-control. Here is a schedule of the speeches expected on Friday night:

4:30 — Kendall Scudder, Texas Democratic Party Chairman

5:50 — Justin Pearson, Tennessee State Representative

6:09 — TBA Special Guest

6:24 — Cory Booker, New Jersey Senator

7:10 — Clayton Tucker, Democratic Agriculture Commissioner candidate

7:18 — Sarah Eckhardt, State Senator and Democratic Comptroller candidate

7:25 — Nathan Johnson, State Senator and Democratic Attorney General candidate

7:32 — Vikki Goodwin, State Representative and Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate

7:47 — Gina Hinojosa, State Representative and Democratic Gubernatorial candidate

8:12 — James Talarico, State Representative and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate

8:32 — Statewide Democratic Ticket Presentation

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