Texas lawmakers are 40 days away from a heated midterm election that will determine how much power Republicans will be able to keep — and how much Democrats will be able to grab — ahead of next year’s legislative session.

Three Texas Democrats brought a heavy dose of optimism to a discussion of their plans for the 2027 legislative session during The Texas Tribune Festival on Thursday. State Rep. Gene Wu, the minority leader in the House, said he thinks Democrats will take a majority in the chamber, requiring a gain of 14 seats.

“If everyone pushes a little bit, we win,” Wu said, pointing to Democrats fielding candidates in every House, Senate and statewide race.

State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins said that she’s optimistic for a majority, but admitted that she realistically expects Democrats to gain six to eight seats.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa was more measured during an earlier conversation, where she said there will not be Democratic majority in the Texas Legislature.

“There’s just not,” she said. “I live in reality.”

Their optimism is fueled by their constituents’ anger and frustration, the panelists said.

“The other side are running the same old, tired-ass campaign talking about bathrooms and stuff like that and who’s in what sports, I mean, people are tired of that,” State Sen. Carol Alvarado said, particularly pointing to Latino voters. “We’re seeing buyer’s remorse, they don’t like what Republicans have done to them.”

Wu said that if Democrats see a national wave, they should redistrict in states where they have control next year, a nod to the redistricting war that Texas set off last year. 

“You do the exact same thing … until they say ‘mercy’ and then they agree that we will have a national bipartisan or nonpartisan redistricting reform,” Wu said. 

With Texas Republicans in their weakest position in a generation and Democrats hungry for a majority, the panelists described what policies and actions may come with a Democratic majority.

Alvarado called for a more strategic than vindictive approach to governance, but said that Republicans must feel some pain.

Still, the panelists all concluded with messages of unity, framing themselves as the party of new ideas and getting results, similar to Hinojosa’s big tent approach earlier in the day.

“I don’t care what brings them in. I care what keeps them there and gets them out to the polls,” Wu said. “If it’s THC, if it’s education funding, whatever it is, Texans need to understand that their votes matter and you get what you vote for.”