I'm looking at Colin Allred's platform (link here) and it's all pretty standard stuff that most voters would identify as leftist.
I would agree that there's pretty fertile soil for economic populism, particularly five months after the election.
It's because I'm skeptical and I want to see a more developed response (which you gave a couple of days ago, but I also want to know what other people are thinking). At least locally, I don't believe in a big D silent majority just waiting for their hearts to be stirred by Beto, Lina Hidalgo in 10 years or the or someone channeling the ghost of Ann Richards. I just don't think there's enough of us, despite the more progressive members of Surly trying to shout down anyone espousing that the middle should be targeted.
If that's correct, then it means the party has to change. People like @Bozo_Casanova think it's largely self-inflicted, and maybe he's right, but if the remedy is "Texans really are more amenable to classical leftist programs than their own votes are telling us" then I'd like to know which programs. Texans are voting for abortion restrictions, transgender health restrictions, school vouchers for religious schools, etc., maybe not directly but in their choice of representation. Maybe you might counter that it's not the policy, it's the politician, but I'm skeptical about that, too, when their standard bearers are Patrick, Abbot, crazy eyes and Ted Cruz. Is there a single person in that group you'd want to have a beer with?