At a Waco debate hosted by Those Meddling Kids, Democratic hopefuls J. Gordon Mitchell, Milah Flores and Casey Shepard sparred over policy, political pasts and what it would take to flip a longtime Republican seat.

Texas Democrats gathered in Waco on Saturday at the Performing Arts Community Center for a McLennan County Democratic Party candidate forum ahead of the March 3 primary. The group was optimistic about state races following decades of Republican dominance, focusing on public education, healthcare access and affordability.