The 2024 Texas Democratic Party Convention is officially underway in El Paso.
A mad scene unfolded at the El Paso Convention Center around lunchtime on Tuesday, June 6, the opening day of the convention, as delegates, staff, volunteers and members of the press arrived to receive their credentials.
That evening, a kickoff reception got underway at the Hotel Paso del Norte, where hundreds turned out to hear from some of the biggest names in Democratic Party politics, including former presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke, gun control activist and former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords of Arizona, U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar and state Sen. Cesar Blanco.
More:What's in store for the 2024 Texas Democratic Party Convention in El Paso this week?
Before the speakers took to the stage, waiters and waitresses circled the ballroom in white jackets handing out hors d'oeuvres as music played lightly in the background, barely perceptible over the din of voices and conversations.
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El Paso Democratic Party Chairman Michael Apodaca, who played master of ceremonies for the event, eventually made his way to the stage, about 20 minutes after it was set to begin, to kick off the night's reception — like the music, he could hardly be heard as the conversations continued.
Here are key moments from the opening night kickoff event.
Blanco calls out talkative attendees
The cacophony of conversation continued throughout Apodaca's remarks and those from Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa to the point that most of their comments were indecipherable.
Eventually, Escobar and Blanco, convention co-chairs, made their way to the stage.
Escobar was energized, rising to the stage with a shout, and she called on the rest of Texas Democrats to follow suit.
"We need your energy, we need your commitment, we need your hard work because, Democrats, this is the most important election of our lifetime," she said, battling to be heard. "We need you to take all of the energy that you are bringing to this great party, and after we have done all of our celebrating, all of our working, all of our unity, we've got to get to work knocking on doors, registering voters ... and make sure every Democrat gets to the ballot box in November so we can win."
After an impassioned "Bienvenido," Blanco took stock of the crowd.
"I can't help but feel a deep sense of excitement here in El Paso," he said. "This room is filled with a lot of leaders. This room is filled with a lot of change-makers. It's filled with a lot of people who are talking while there's a presentation going on."
The lighthearted criticism did little to silence the still-roaring crowd, but Blanco persevered.
"We need to believe in a brighter, more inclusive future for all of Texas," he said. "And we've got to do so especially during a time when our nation is divided."
Apodaca silences crowd before Giffords speech
The crowd only dialed its volume down at the request of Apodaca, who said he would not call the next speaker to the stage as long as the roar continued.
It finally dropped and Giffords, walking on a cane to a standing ovation, made her way to the stage.
Giffords recalled her own journey of recovery after a right-wing gunman shot her in the head during an event in January 2011 in an assassination attempt. She related that experience to the experience Democrats are facing now.
"I've known the darkest of days," she said. "Days of pain and uncertain recovery."
"I put one foot in front of another," Giffords continued. "I found one word and then another."
"American needs all of us to speak out, even when you have to fight to find the words."
O'Rourke recalls historic legacy of Texans
O'Rourke, the final speaker of the evening, walked onto the stage to a thunderous standing ovation.
He recalled his 2018 campaign against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, when he fell short by roughly 215,000 votes, and his trip to all of the state's 254 counties. He remembered a train station in Cook County where, in 1943, an entire division of Texas men and boys came to start their training for World War II.
Eventually, they stormed the beaches of Normandy.
"And what were they fighting for? To stop fascism across the sea and protect Democracy here at home," O'Rourke said.
While President Joe Biden is off commemorating that sacrifice, he said, Trump "wants to bring Germanic fascism to this country."
He recalled other Texans throughout history, including the women who fought the Supreme Court 63 years ago to secure a woman's right to an abortion.
"No one came from outside of Texas to rescue Texas women," he said, "it was Texas women who rescued the rest of the country and it will be Texas women that rescue this country again.
"This moment is ours. We cannot be found wanting. We must meet this moment ... "
