AUSTIN — Heading into crucial elections in November, Texas Democrats are looking to build momentum among their base — and perhaps convince some disenchanted moderate Republicans that their party is the best path forward for the state.

At their state convention in Fort Worth, which will run Thursday through Saturday, Democrats plan to push back forcefully against President Donald Trump’s policies, highlight their full slate of candidates for congressional and statewide races and pitch themselves as the party of “everyday Texans.”

“Throughout the course of the convention you’re going to hear the contrast about how Democrats are about a fair shot for all, about the kitchen table issues we’re concerned with,” said Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party. “About really tackling the issues of the day: gun violence, "Me Too,” or the separations at the border.”

Democrats also plan to highlight the long-standing issues their party has pushed: more funding for public education, expansion of health care services and greater access to living wages for working-class families.

For statewide candidates like El Paso Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who is challenging Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, and former Dallas County sheriff Lupe Valdez, who is trying to take down Gov. Greg Abbott, the convention will give them a large platform to reach Democrats across the state.

“This will be their coming-out party, their debutante ball so to speak,” said Ed Espinoza, the executive director of Progress Texas and a longtime Democrat. “It’s an opportunity for people to get to know their nominees better and to get excited.”

Democrats will also vote to update the party's platform, its stated mission. But unlike the Republican convention in San Antonio last week, which featured intraparty fights and a heated election for the party's leadership, Democrats don't expect any major battles.

The party, they say, is united in its fight against Trump and its goal of electing more Democrats.

“In the past, conventions have been about fights among more centrist Democrats and more left-leaning Democrats about leadership battles,” said Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas. “I get a sense among Texas Democrats that people are united and ready to work together to elect a U.S. senator or a governor.”

Trump front and center

The Trump administration's policy leading to the separation of immigrant children from their parents at the border has dominated headlines in the weeks leading up to the convention. Speakers and organizers plan to paint Republicans as the party of a president who has cast the nation into political chaos.

“Whether you call yourself a Democrat, a progressive or a liberal, the one thing we’re all on deck for is stopping Trump and his crazy agenda,” Espinoza said. “Trump may not be on the ballot, but he’ll be the major issue this year.”

Democrats hope Trump’s chaotic tenure at the White House will help mobilize Democratic voters to turn congressional and state Legislature seats blue. But they’re also holding out hope that moderate Republicans, who never strongly supported Trump, could vote with them.

They see the party’s convention in Fort Worth — traditionally Republican territory — as a symbol to straying Republicans that they can send a message to Trump by voting for Democrats in the midterm elections.

“Given what’s going on across the country, I think Trump is going to help us win some seats in Congress and also in the state Legislature,” said state Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas.

During the three-day event, Democrats will try to paint a stark division between them and the state Republican Party, which last week floated the idea of reintroducing a "bathroom bill" and lent support to abolishing abortion, loosening gun laws and restricting the power of labor unions.

“What we saw a couple of days ago at the Republican convention was chaos, division and a focus on fringe issues,” Garcia said. “What you’ll see out of the Democratic Party is that we are concerned with the things that people face every day.”

Democrats say they will focus on “the classroom instead of the bathroom” and try to find ways to stop the prevalence of gun violence.

Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, said Democrats will present “a real path forward, not the smoke and mirrors you’re getting from the Republicans and Gov. Abbott.”

“We’re talking about gun violence by actually talking about guns,” he said.

Big stage for candidates

Democrats are hopeful about this year’s elections, but they are also realistic about the work ahead of them. Texas is a deep-red state where Republicans control both chambers of the Legislature and all the statewide offices. The last time a Democrat won a statewide office was in 1994.

And though they have a slew of ambitious candidates, many of them are relatively new faces that lack the name recognition and political savvy on which campaigns are won.

“This is a wave that’s not just ridden, it’s built,” Garcia said. “It’s critically important if the blue wave is going to happen that we organize and come out of this convention strong and united.”

Perhaps the one exception is O'Rourke, who has barnstormed through Texas' 254 counties and garnered intense media coverage through his omnipresent Facebook Live updates and gutty pursuit of red county voters. The El Paso congressman has been compared to former Presidents John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama.

“Beto, he’s the rock star of this event,” said David Griggs, a member of the State Democratic Executive Committee representing Dallas County. “He’s a rock star everywhere he goes. He draws huge crowds at places that don’t normally draw big crowds. He will be a headliner at our convention.”

The convention also will be a big opportunity for Valdez, who was criticized early on for running a lackluster campaign and has failed to garner the support usually expected for a candidate at the top of the Democratic ticket. Party officials hope that will change during her speech Friday in front of thousands of die-hard Democrats.

“She has a great chance to share her story,” said Zach Bullard, who represents Collin County on the State Democratic Executive Committee. “She has a chance to tell everyone that we can be better and will be better.”