Republicans want to flip this last competitive South Texas senate seat [Video]

Sign up for the We the Texans newsletter to receive twice-monthly updates on our year-long initiative dedicated to boosting civic engagement and chronicling how democracy is experienced in Texas.

Texas State Sen. Morgan LaMantia of South Padre Island won her seat in 2022 by just 659 votes — a margin so close that her opponent asked for a recount.

The Democrat defeated Republican Adam Hinojosa, an owner of several small businesses, to serve the rest of retired Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr’s unfinished term. Two years later, LaMantia is running to serve for a full term — and Hinojosa is back for a rematch in what is the single competitive race in the deeply conservative Texas state senate.

This year, there are different political dynamics, such as the race being in a presidential year, which is expected to boost voter turnout. Democrats are hoping for a surge of enthusiasm for voters looking to support Vice President Kamala Harris, and Republicans are hoping to …