Two South Texans are vying for the Texas state Senate District 27 seat.

Both candidates — Republican Adam Hinojosa and Democrat Morgan La Mantia — have deep roots in the Valley.

Hinojosa comes from four generations of farmers from Santa Rosa.

La Mantia's family has an extensive farming and ranching background, but is well known for the family's L&F beer distributor company. Expansion of the South Texas coast's infrastructure and investment opportunities are on both parties agendas.

"We have oil and gas right next to solar and wind energy,” La Mantia said. “We are growing in industries like Space X exploration, modern agriculture, import and export — the amazing industries that are coming and looking to our area in South Texas."

Hinojosa feels his business background and multiple real-estate properties that have revitalized downtown Corpus Christi give him an edge.

"Understands business and understand the opportunity that can be if we develop this area properly — the infrastructure that we need for it — then we can really make our South Texas area boom,” Hinojosa said.

Republicans have high hopes to sway Hispanic voters after former president Donald Trump endorsed Hinojosa at a rally in late October. If Hinojosa is elected, he wants to expand health care through telemedicine, cut property taxes by 25 percent and stop the indoctrination of schools.

"It's something that they're force-feeding those types of sexuality, the critical race theory, that's a part of the curriculum that they're trying to implement," Hinojosa said. "I'm not ok with that. As a parent that deeply concerns me. I definitely want to go to Austin to make sure my kids are protected, but when I'm doing that I'm protecting your kids."

La Mantia believes that gender confusion in schools is one percent of the students in our population.

"But what's most important and what I think all of us, no matter where we stand on this issue can agree, is that human dignity is important," La Mantia said. 

La Mantia wants to change the public education system by raising teacher pay, eliminating the STAAR test, expanding career technology education from K through 12th grades and increasing graduate degree programs throughout South Texas schools.

"Public education system — we need to fully fund it," La Mantia said. "That means raising the basic allotment given to our public schools. That means looking and reevaluating our formula funding and reduce pressure to take the test."

Another top priority of Hinojosa's is funding for police and stabilizing border security.

"I also graduated from the police academy and so I understand public safety and I understand the need to restore the honor and respect to law enforcement professionals and to ensure all the law enforcement and all of our first responders are fully funded, fully trained and fully equipped for the safety of our communities," Hinojosa said.

La Mantia also aims to expand Medicaid to ensure more working families have access to primary care and wants to pass "extending the coverage for women for postpartum women after they give birth from 6 months to 12 months," La Mantia said. 

This is the first time both candidates have run for state senate.

La Mantia's camp so far has spent over $5 million for her campaign. Hinojosa's campaign has spent under half a million.

The decision will be left up to voters come election night.