Latino political advocates in Texas are hard at work encouraging Hispanics to go to the polls as elections draw ever closer. Many analysts believe that the Latino vote could be strong enough to move Texas into the ranks of "battleground states."

According to the Dept. of State Health Services, Texas overall runs 39.2 percent Hispanic with a total population of more than 26 million.

The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) released its 2014 primary electoral profile outlining the potential impact the Latino vote could have in the Lone Star state.

The NALEO breaks down those percentages by specific areas. Hispanics hold a majority in many Texas counties. In El Paso County, Latinos make up more than 82 percent of the electorate. Even in Tarrant County (Fort Worth), the percentage is still quite significant at 27 percent.

The Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex area as a whole weighs in at 33 percent, or 1 in 3 voters. Traveling south to the Rio Grande Valley, the Hispanic vote surges to more than 90 percent in the region.

"These numbers equate to real political power in the upcoming midterm elections, with the Latino electorate accounting for more than one out of every five registered voters [22 percent] in the state of Texas," NALEO Educational Fund Executive Director Arturo Vargas said in a statement.

Vargas continued, "In the coming days and months, it will be critical for campaigns and candidates to actively engage Texas Latino voters on the issues that matter most if they want to gain the support of this increasingly influential electorate."

On the national level, there will be 36 Texas House seats up for re-election as well as one Senate position. There are currently Latinos holding six House positions from Texas.

Even more importantly to some in Texas, there is expected to be a hotly contested governor's race with Wendy Davis, who gained national notoriety for a recent filibuster against GOP moves to place further limits on abortion rights in the state. Davis hopes to capitalize on the Democrats' high popularity among Hispanics to become the first Democrat in the governor's mansion since Ann Richards ended her term in 1995.

Leticia Van de Putte, a Latina running unopposed in the Democratic primary for Lt. Governor, will face the winner of four Republicans vying for the position.