State Rep. James Talarico (D-Austin) is an underdog for U.S. Senate, but his name is already being whispered as a potential 2028 vice presidential candidate.

Why it matters: The mere suggestion reflects just how stratospheric Talarico's rise has been — and how desperate Democrats are to win Texas' electoral votes.

What they're saying: "If Talarico wins the seat against the Republican nominee, I think he's likely or very likely to be the vice presidential pick in 2028," NYU marketing professor Scott Galloway said on "Pivot," the podcast he co-hosts with journalist Kara Swisher, following Talarico's March primary victory.

• Last year, influential podcaster Joe Rogan suggested Talarico should aim for the White House.

Flashback: Barack Obama's Senate run in 2004 — including a galvanizing keynote address at the Democratic National Convention that summer — established his national profile ahead of a successful presidential run in 2008.

• Current Vice President Vance had not served two years in the U.S. Senate before Donald Trump named him as his running mate in the 2024 election.

Zoom in: Talarico's campaign declined an Axios request for comment.

Between the lines: Selecting Talarico as a running mate — should he win in November — would "send a message that whoever was the presidential candidate ... would be reaching out and cares about the electorate that Talarico had resonated with," Joel Goldstein, a scholar of the vice presidency, tells Axios.

Context: Talarico has carved out a new lane in Texas politics: a Christian Democrat who appeals to Hispanic voters and suburbanites — both key constituencies.

Follow the money: His campaign has been hauling in record amounts of cash, building a donor base around the country that would be attractive to any White House run.

The intrigue: Choosing Texas running mates (U.S. Sens. Lyndon B. Johnson in 1960; Lloyd Bentsen in 1988) has been a way for northern Democrats to reach into the South as they aim for ticket balance.

If Talarico wins the 2026 Senate race and if he's named to a White House ticket and that ticket wins — a string of very big "ifs" — he would resign his Senate seat, likely in early January 2029, before being sworn in as vice president.

• The governor would then be empowered to appoint his successor, who could be of either party.

Reality check: No Democrat has won a statewide election in Texas since 1994.

• Talarico will face either U.S. Sen. John Cornyn or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who are vying for the GOP nomination in a May 26 runoff and who are trailing Talarico in recent polling.

Between the lines: If Talarico does manage to pull off an upset in Texas, national Democrats will be reluctant to give up his seat with a (likely) Republican governor — Greg Abbott — appointing his successor.

Today is your last day to weigh in on the future of Interstate 35 from Laredo to the Texas-Oklahoma border.

Driving the news: The Texas Department of Transportation is creating a study of the corridor to tackle its challenges through 2050.

• A survey allows you to place markers on a map where you find traffic concerns, connectivity or maintenance issues, or even problems for bikers and pedestrians (really).

Zoom in: An interactive map in the survey shows responses in North Texas about both branches of I-35.

• In Fort Worth, several respondents complain about how expensive the express lanes are near the intersection of I-35W and Interstate 820.
• One writes that dynamic pricing pushes the cost up to nearly $20 during peak rush hour.

How it works: Click on an irksome spot along I-35 on the map and select from a list of issues.

• You have an option to leave a comment about the problem or point of interest.
• The map is updated with the markers and comments.

The bottom line: I-35 construction and complaints will provide Texans a lifetime's worth of punchlines.

🚨 Two people were killed and three others were injured in a shooting near Carrollton's Koreatown. Police said a suspect was in custody. (NBC5)

⚖️ A man who pleaded guilty to kidnapping and killing a 7-year-old girl in Wise County has been sentenced to death. (Fox News)

🗳️ New polling shows Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton leading U.S. Sen. John Cornyn by 3 percentage points for the May 26 runoff election for Senate. (Texas Tribune)

💰 The Texas Stock Exchange wants approval to put a stock ticker on a high-rise that would overlook Klyde Warren Park. (DMN)

Three eaglets are learning to fly from their White Rock Lake nest.

Why it matters: Bird watchers will need to keep a safe distance from the bald eagle family while the eaglets test their wings.

• Parents tend to become more protective during this stage when their young may drop to lower branches or fall to the ground.

Driving the news: City staff have put up signs near the nest reminding visitors to keep their dogs leashed and stay quiet in the area.

• This week, Dallas Park and Recreation will also put up water-filled barricades to limit vehicle traffic on East Lawther Drive near the playground, which will close.

The big picture: The bald eagle couple, known as Nick and Nora, have drawn bird watchers to the east side of the lake for several years.

Zoom in: The three eaglets are believed to have hatched around March 17. WRLeagleTV on YouTube regularly streams views of the nest.

• The couple's other offspring have been named but the babies remain unnamed, though it's likely the Facebook fanpage will deliver soon.

What we're watching: Sunday's livestream showing all three eaglets stretching their wings in their nest.

The bottom line: Bald eagles are federally protected and visitors should keep their distance.