The struggle by Democrats to turn Texas into a battleground state is heightening as a Latina lawmaker declared she would be one of the names at the top of the party’s 2014 ticket.

Texas Sen. Leticia Van De Putte let it be known last week she had a big announcement, leading up to Saturday’s news that Van de Putte would run for lieutenant governor, a powerful position that would put her in charge of the state’s Senate and the state’s budget process.

“Texas families deserve better than they’ve been getting,” Van de Putte said Saturday after taking several swipes at Republicans. “And that’s why I announce that I’ll ask the people of Texas to hire me as their next lieutenant governor.”

Already at the top of the Democrats’ ticket is state senator Wendy Davis – who staged an 11-hour filibuster against a state abortion bill. Davis already has been traveling the state on her gubernatorial ambitions.

Democrats hope to improve the turnout of Latinos in Texas, who are nearly 40 percent of the state’s population, but whose voting doesn’t match their numbers.

“You can’t successfully fight for the Hispanic vote, unless you successfully fight for Hispanic families,” Van de Putte said in English and in Spanish.

Political groups, most notably the political Action Committee Battleground Texas, started by a campaign strategist for President Barack Obama, have been in the state trying to harness more of that vote and turn the state into one that would be competitive in future presidential elections.

The ambition is a high one because Republicans have held every statewide elected office since 1998. But they could be helped by the history Van de Putte’s election would make if she becomes lieutenant governor next November. She’d be the first Latina elected to statewide office in Texas. Lena Guerrero served as Railroad Commissioner but was appointed.

Van de Putte’s campaign and the outcome of her run will help determine how long it will take to make Texas a swing state and whether it can happen as soon as 2016 or by 2020.

Democratic strategist Harold Cook acknowledged that any candidates of his party filing for a statewide run are underdogs, but he said much has changed in the last four years. “I don’t think anyone can credibly claim Republicans today are more popular than they were two years ago, or four or seven,” Cook said.

Four men are expected to compete for the Republican nomination for the lieutenant governor’s job, including incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who has brought his large personal pocketbook to previous races.

Democrats ran a Latina for the position previously. Linda Chavez Thompson was their 2010 candidate for lieutenant governor, but lost to Dewhurst.

But with the eyes of the national Democratic Party on Texas’ swing potential, Van de Putte can expect some heavyweight support.

“Texas has given us a great number of brave and courageous leaders and Sen. Leticia Van de Putte is no exception,” said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi who made history when she became the first woman to serve as speaker of the U.S. House.

Pelosi said she worked with Van de Putte when the Texas senator served as president of the National Conference of State Legislatures. “Leticia Van de Putte will stand on principle and knows how to get the job done for the people of Texas,” Pelosi told NBC Latino in a statement.

While national audiences may be encountering her name for the first time, Van de Putte’s candidacy has been long anticipated, awaited and urged by some in Texas Democratic circles.

“Leticia has been somebody who could run for statewide office in Texas for at least three election cycles,” said Matt Angle, director of the Lone Star Project.

Republican strategist Neftali Partida acknowledges Van de Putte is a formidable candidate, with a strong record and who is liked in both parties.

But the state is still conservative, so she faces an uphill battle, Partida said.

The bigger question for Democrats will be how far to the right Republicans will go and whether they say anything that sparks “a fire in the Latino vote in Texas,” Partida said. He said while the GOP may have the right policy, particularly on issues such as abortion, “they will say things that are stupid that will hurt the Latino outreach.”

In addition, Democrats will have to work harder for Latino voters in the Rio Grande Valley to show up in the general elections. Many south Texans are against abortion and Democrats need them to win the general, Nieto said.

Van de Putte got a share of national attention surrounding Davis’ filibuster when she asked, “At what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be recognized over male colleagues in the room?” drawing cheers from the state Capitol’s gallery crowd and some Internet fame.

Her experience includes serving as chairwoman of the state’s Senate Democratic Caucus during the time that Texas took up mid-decade redistricting in 2003. She led members of the Texas Senate in fleeing the state to prevent a vote to redraw political district boundaries.

She is a pharmacist from San Antonio, was a co-chair of the 2008 Democratic National Convention and served as president of the National Conference of State Legislatures from 2006 to 2007. She also was president of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators from 2003-2005. She has six children and six grandchildren.