By Charles Cadwallader

AUSTIN – Virginia Governor Tim Kaine spoke to a small crowd of Senator Obama supporters in Houston, TX on Saturday, along with other Texas and out of state guests.

“Everything comes down to this,” a campaign volunteer told me, “This is Texas; this is where it all ends.”

That volunteer isn’t alone in the sentiment that Texas is going to be the deciding factor in the race for the Democratic nomination.

“Texas could say on Tuesday,” said Kaine, “‘Democratic party… we have a nominee’ and then the fight to the general election begins.”

Kaine finished his remarks by saying that with a convincing and overwhelming win in Texas, this nomination race is over.

With a total of 228 delegates up for grabs, 193 of which will be pledged according to the results from the primary-caucus system and volunteers from all the campaigns flowing into the state, Texas has become a focal point in this nomination season.

California state Senator Gilbert Cedillo of the 22nd senatorial district was also present for Kaine’s remarks. “The eyes of the country are on Texas,” said Cedillo, “Texans now hold the fate of this country in their hands.”

Uduak Ntuk, a petroleum engineer from Bakersfield, California agrees, “Things end here, in Texas,” said Ntuk, “this is where the nomination is decided.”

A media relations officer from Longbeach, California, Julio Barthson, said that he things that Texas will be the final showdown in the Democratic nomination. “Texas is the coup de grace … it’s the knockout punch,” said Barthson.

“No one thought the election would get this far, it’s a miracle that the Obama campaign is head and head with the Clinton campaign,” said Cedillo, “it comes down to this, so get out and vote Texans.”