1 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: From Futro Media and PRX. It's Latino USA. I'm marieo JSA. 2 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: Today as the second largest voting cohort, Latinos and Latinas 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: have real political power, but with changing demographics and redistricting 4 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: efforts across the country, what does this mean for the midterms. 5 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: In the twenty twenty presidential election, over sixteen million Latinos 6 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 1: and Latinas turned out to vote, and in key states 7 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: like Arizona and Georgia, they played a role in sending 8 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: President Joe Biden to the White House. But in other 9 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: regions like South Texas or Florida, Donald Trump also made 10 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: gains with Latinos and Latinas. So, as we have said 11 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: for years, for decades, Latinos and Latinas are clearly not 12 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: a monolithic voting block, but they are having a political 13 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: impact that cannot be taken for granted. 14 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 2: There's all these congressional seats that are up that are 15 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 2: heavily Latino, that are marginal seats like fifty to fifty 16 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 2: Democrat and Republican, Yet none of them have a Latino 17 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 2: campaign manager, none of them have a Latino on media 18 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 2: farm or mail firm. And what that means is you 19 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 2: probably lose some of that cultural nuance on how you 20 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 2: really get that vote out compared to a white vote, 21 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,039 Speaker 2: because if you run the same ole election every single 22 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 2: time and hope for different results, you're going to be shocked. 23 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: That's Democratic Party strategist Chuck Rocha speaking on The Young 24 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: Turk Show with David Schuster in June. Also, there have 25 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: been concerted efforts by Republicans to restrict black and Latino 26 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: and Latino voters from accessing their political power. The courts 27 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: have gutted the Voting Rights Act, there's been a rise 28 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: in Spanish language disinformation, and conservative state legislatures have redrawn 29 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: congressional districts to essentially out non white voters. 30 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 3: The complaint we filed today allegis that Texas has violated 31 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 3: Section two by creating redistricting plans that deny or bridge 32 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 3: the rights of Latino and black voters to vote on 33 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 3: account of their race, color, or membership, and a language 34 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 3: minority group. 35 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: That's United States Attorney General Merrick Garland. Last December he 36 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:28,639 Speaker 1: was announcing a Justice Department lawsuit to challenge redistricting efforts 37 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: in Texas. And we are seeing the effects of these 38 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: partisan maps. So in twenty twenty, Latinos and latin has 39 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: made up only one percent of all local and federal 40 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 1: elected officials, even though we represent eighteen percent of the population. 41 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: But now in the twenty twenty two midterms, more Latino 42 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: and Latina candidates are running for office, and with the 43 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: recent shift of Latino voters moving toward the Republican Party, 44 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: outreach from Democrats often seems too little, too late. 45 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 4: So as we're nearing the elections. 46 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: We're looking at how all these issues, from redistricting to 47 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: voting access to voter outreach, how this is going to 48 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: impact the Latino and Latina electorate. For the following roundtable 49 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: discussion that continues our twenty twenty two election cycle coverage 50 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 1: at Latino USA, I'm joined by my In the Thick 51 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: political podcast co host Julio Cartabarella, and we're joined by 52 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: our guests Sonya Diaz, founding director of the Latino Policy 53 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: and Politics Institute at UCLA, and Jasmine Uyoa, who's a 54 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:44,119 Speaker 1: national politics reporter at The New York Times. Hello, everyone, 55 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to Latino USA. 56 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 5: So great to be here, Thank you for having us, 57 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 5: Thank you so much. 58 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: So we're going to dive into yeah a story that 59 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: I've been talking about, I don't know, for about three 60 00:03:56,240 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: decades as a journalist, which is the complexity of Latino 61 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: and Latina voters in this country. Right there's always this 62 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: idea of wanting to take Latino and Latina voters and 63 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: put us into a predictable block, and it's just not 64 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: that way. So that's what we're going to dissect today. 65 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: And political pundits and journalists and campaign officials have all 66 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: tried to analyze this Latino vote. Now, what we've been 67 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 1: saying for a long time is that it's not monolithic. 68 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 1: We represent dozens of home countries with different kind of 69 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: political experiences, different languages, dialects, traditions, food customs. 70 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 4: A lot of them. 71 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 1: I mean, yes, we share a language, but for example, 72 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 1: how do you compare a Mexican or Mexican American voter 73 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 1: in Elpaso, Texas to a Puerto Rican voter based in 74 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, by the way, one of the most 75 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 1: important places for voters right now in Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, 76 00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: and differentiate that from Cuban voters in Miami, Mexicanos in 77 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 1: La or in Chicago. 78 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 4: I mean, there's so much going on. 79 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,799 Speaker 1: Plus, there are rust Belt cities like Milwaukee that are 80 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: you know, up and coming Latino and Latina cities, and 81 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: so as a voting cohort, we do have power. We 82 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: have extraordinary power as the second largest voting cohort in 83 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: the United States. Doesn't mean that we are a voting block, 84 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: but we are the second largest voting cohort. So, sonya, 85 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: I know it's a big question, but okay, give us 86 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: the takeaway. What role would Latino voters play in the 87 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two midterm elections. 88 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 6: Look, there's no denying the role that Latino voters are 89 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 6: going to play both in states like Texas, Arizona, Nevada, 90 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 6: and California, but also in places that you mentioned Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 91 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 6: These are places where Latinos are going to be really 92 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 6: important part of a multi ethnic, multi racial coalition. And 93 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 6: we saw that in Guine County, Georgia. We saw it 94 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 6: in Milwaukee, and we saw it in Philadelphia in twenty 95 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 6: twenty where Latinos coalesced with black voters and other voters 96 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 6: of color to essentially send Joe Biden to the White 97 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 6: House and really take control of the US Senate. 98 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 5: Here's the kicker. 99 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 6: Though there's a lot on the line, and there's a 100 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 6: lot that is cause for some hesitation about the capacity 101 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 6: of Latinos to essentially participate equally in politics. This is 102 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 6: coming on the hills of an unacceptably flawed census for 103 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 6: which reapportionment was determined. Arizona, long thought to pick up 104 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 6: a congressional seat, did not. Texas picked up two, California 105 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:50,359 Speaker 6: lost one. And the key here is is Latinos. And 106 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 6: yet with that growth and with those changes those seats 107 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 6: where Latinos were instrumental in really changing the balance of 108 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 6: these House seats, those states had vindictive redistricting processes that 109 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 6: penalize the data, though unacceptably flawed. And then come this year, 110 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 6: in twenty twenty two, the US Census reveals that one 111 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 6: out of twenty Latinos were undercounted. Wow, And so we 112 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 6: have a democracy based on data that is not cogent 113 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 6: and that overcounted non Hispanic whites. So that's one. The 114 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 6: second thing is voter suppression. Ultimately, all of this can 115 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 6: be overcome with investment, engagement and a field game. We've 116 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 6: seen it before. The ways in which voters still turn 117 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 6: out in COVID. Twenty twenty was a historic election for everybody, 118 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 6: for all voters. Twenty twenty two is a mid term. 119 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 6: You're not going to see the sixteen million Latino voters, 120 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 6: but hopefully it will be at the level of twenty 121 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 6: eighteen midterms. 122 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 1: Okay, so, Jasmine, we just heard that term the field game, 123 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: you know, the ground game. Anything can happen in terms 124 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: of politics when you put that into the calculation, a 125 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 1: strategic ground game, especially with Latino and Latina voters. But 126 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: you're on the ground, You're doing this reporting, and that's 127 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: so important your takeaway as a political reporter kind of 128 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: based on the ground, you know, talking with voters in 129 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: key areas. What's your sense of the role that they're 130 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: going to play in these twenty twenty two upcoming midterms. 131 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 4: Yeah. 132 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 5: So in twenty twenty, I think what we really saw 133 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 5: was this shattering of the assumption that national Democrats have 134 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 5: held for a really long time, which is that demographics 135 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 5: is destiny, that because Latino's lean Democrat, overall growth in 136 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 5: the Latino population would automatically favor their party and elections 137 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 5: and so on the other side, what we've seen is 138 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 5: Republicans are really seeing Latinos up for grabs, We're also 139 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 5: seeing a change in the appeal. So George w pushed 140 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 5: up his appeal to Latino voters, saying he wanted immigrants 141 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 5: in the United States to feel welcome. He made this 142 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 5: immigrant friendly appeal that was thought to be the way 143 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 5: forward in appealing to Latinos right as a demographic. 144 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,079 Speaker 7: We will always be proud to welcome people like Waterloope 145 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 7: Danahan as fellow Americans. Our new immigrants are just what 146 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 7: they've always been, people willing to risk everything for the 147 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 7: dream of freedom. And America remains what she has always been, 148 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 7: the great hope on the horizon, an open door to 149 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 7: the future, a blessed and promised land. We honor the 150 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 7: heritage of all who come here, no matter where they 151 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 7: come from, because we trust in our country's genius for 152 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 7: making us all Americans. 153 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 5: But what we're seeing now, especially after the Trump years, 154 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:44,119 Speaker 5: and what we're seeing in the twenty twenty two midterms, 155 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:48,719 Speaker 5: is that these anti immigrants, cenophobic appeals. They're using these 156 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 5: appeals to draw in voters, and it's drying in Latino 157 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 5: voters in very much the same way that it is 158 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 5: drying why rural working class voters. I guess what twenty 159 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 5: twenty also showed was, and what we're seeing now in 160 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 5: studies and polls, is that Latinos are ideologically diverse and 161 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:06,479 Speaker 5: they are open to persuasions. 162 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 8: Yeah. 163 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 5: So Republicans have a lot of things working for them 164 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 5: this year. I mean, they have the economy, they have 165 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 5: Biden sagging inflation measures, and they're actually putting a lot 166 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 5: of investment out there. They're opening community centers to dry 167 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 5: and Latino voters in places where there weren't. 168 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 8: Yeah. 169 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 5: But on the flip side of that, you know, we 170 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 5: have this major abortion ruling. We have these mass shootings 171 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 5: that are happening every other week now, and I'm hearing 172 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 5: anger from voters and especially young voters that I haven't 173 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 5: heard in a long time, and voters who have been 174 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 5: following the news but haven't been as active in elections 175 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 5: or volunteering. And so I think that that's changing that 176 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 5: could factor in in November. 177 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 9: Right, And I think that's the big question, like in 178 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 9: twenty twenty, about this sort of discovery, right that what 179 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 9: did you say, demographics is not destiny, right, This notion 180 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 9: of Democrats come to realization that just because the country's 181 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 9: changing that these votes are not guaranteed and you got 182 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 9: to do the work. So, for example, when we look 183 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,439 Speaker 9: at twenty twenty the analysis of Latino and Latino voters 184 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 9: and SSU about the county, for example, how they voted 185 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 9: for Trump, making him the first Republican to win there 186 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 9: in over one hundred years. And I believe there was 187 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 9: a piece by Jack Hereda who wrote about this in 188 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 9: Politico how Trump gained ground by speaking to people as 189 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 9: Deanos and addressing specific concerns like the oil and gas 190 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 9: industry or gun rights instead of just seeing them as 191 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:37,560 Speaker 9: a block of Latino Latino voters. 192 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 10: In fact, I just signed an executive action to protect 193 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 10: American health care benefits for all American citizens. Among those 194 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:51,199 Speaker 10: hardest hit by illegal immigration are millions of legal immigrants 195 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 10: right here in Texas, including millions of patriotic, hard working 196 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 10: Mexican Americans who. 197 00:11:57,600 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 8: Play by the rules, pay. 198 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 10: Their tax follow our laws, and striketh in our communities. 199 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 9: And then there's the case of Republican Mada Flores right, 200 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 9: who won a congressional seat during a special election in 201 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 9: South Texas this past June, making her the first Republican 202 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 9: to win there in decades, and We're already seeing how 203 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 9: this race is heating up right between Flores and her opponent, 204 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 9: Democrat Representative Vicenta Gonzalez. So just in July, there was 205 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 9: this Texas blogger who was paid for advertising services by 206 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 9: Gonzalez's campaign, writing pieces attacking Flores, and he called her 207 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 9: miss Frijoles and other racists and sexist slurs, and Gonzalez 208 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 9: did condemn the language, but I mean, this is not 209 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 9: the messaging Democrats need to be associated with, especially in 210 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 9: this race that's happening in a majority Latino and Latina district. 211 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 9: And then there was this great piece by your colleague 212 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 9: Jazmin at the New York Times that came out in 213 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 9: July as well, and that was by Jennifer Medina, who's 214 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:16,680 Speaker 9: a friend, and how there are examples of more Latina 215 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 9: is running for office on more of a far right platform, 216 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 9: and that's becoming more common. So there are lots of 217 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 9: layers here and Democrats seem to be missing that right well. 218 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 5: And that's the question is like, it seems like this 219 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 5: is benefiting Republicans in the short term, but there are 220 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:36,840 Speaker 5: also Republican strategists that are worried about the long term 221 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 5: whether this is going to have this long term appeal. 222 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:43,199 Speaker 5: And then on the Democratic side, which you're not really seeing, 223 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:47,319 Speaker 5: is a cohesive, strong message on immigration, on guns, on 224 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 5: the economy, on healthcare. And so that's the other thing 225 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 5: that we've been analyzing, or that I have been looking 226 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 5: at a lot as well as looking at the ads. 227 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 5: The ads on immigration, the ads on guns. They paint 228 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 5: this very dark picture of America right, this negative picture 229 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 5: of America, that the American dream is slipping away from people, 230 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 5: that the borders are open and immigrants are coming in, 231 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 5: and they're the ones that are going to stop it. 232 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 5: They're going to stop Joe Biden, and they're going to 233 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:18,079 Speaker 5: stop radical Democrats. That's a much simpler message to make, 234 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 5: especially in times of crisis, that has a lot of appeal, 235 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 5: and you're not seeing a counter on the Democratic side. 236 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 9: Sonya, you talk about complexity of identity, being part of 237 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 9: a multi ethnic, multi generational demographic. How do you put 238 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 9: this all together in the analysis that you've been doing. 239 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 6: Yeah, well, I think that there's two things at play 240 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 6: right now. One is the wilful neglect by both parties, 241 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 6: but one party in particular that consistently takes Latino voters 242 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 6: for granted, despite the path forward in terms of expanding the. 243 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 8: Electorate and what party would that be. 244 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 6: That would be the Democrats. You know, the idea that 245 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 6: South Texas went Republican for the thirty fourth House seat 246 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 6: in the first time in over a century, despite the 247 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 6: temporal sense of that seat, is still an issue because 248 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 6: it allows this idea of winning to really shape the 249 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 6: narrative of what twenty twenty two is going to look like. 250 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 6: So that's one, it's just willful neglect. The second thing 251 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 6: is misinformation and disinformation, and this is well documented. Our 252 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 6: own government filed a report around disinformation around black voters 253 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 6: in twenty sixteen. In twenty twenty, we're seeing it with 254 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 6: COVID nineteen. We're also now seeing it with abortion. There 255 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 6: are these theories out there that hit and the hit Leatino. 256 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 6: It's because we're digital first. We're on our phones or 257 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 6: we're watching Hulu or Netflix or YouTube, and there's going 258 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 6: to be ads and those ads are just going to 259 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 6: bombard us. And guess who's paying for the ads? Not 260 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 6: the Democrats or the Democratic candidates. So I'll give you 261 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 6: an example of what a solution is. In twenty twenty, 262 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 6: we saw conservative vested interests filed a petition with the 263 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 6: state of California to recall Governor Gavin Usom, and the 264 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 6: origins in terms of that were backlashed to immigrants, frustration 265 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 6: over criminal justice reform, and frustration over homelessness as though 266 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 6: it was a public safety issue. Now it ended up 267 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 6: on the ballot and the Democrats weren't prepared and ultimately 268 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 6: just really took a lot of voters for granted because 269 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 6: things were looking good, the vaccines were out. California had 270 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 6: a surplus who knew this was a cause for alarm. 271 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 6: Who understood the through line between Prop One eighty seven 272 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 6: and California in the nineteen nineties to the Trump administration 273 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 6: to the scubernatorial recall were trusted messengers and immigrant rights leaders, 274 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 6: and they mobilized during a global pandemic to knockdoors and 275 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 6: to message something that was different from both sides. One 276 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 6: side was xenophobic. The other side had the wrong message, 277 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 6: which was this is a Republican grasp for power. Trusted 278 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 6: messengers said, this is about the future of California. This 279 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 6: is about science and data and getting through the COVID 280 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 6: nineteen pandemic. This is about economic opportunity and jobs, and ultimately, 281 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 6: research out of UCLA's LPPI found that three to one 282 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:21,719 Speaker 6: Latino voters in the state of California rejected the recall. 283 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 6: And so we just have these bad takes and we 284 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 6: have a wilful neglect. 285 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 4: Coming up on Latino USA. 286 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:34,959 Speaker 1: We take a deeper look into some of the key 287 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 1: races we're following this midterm cycle and how Latino and 288 00:17:38,640 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 1: Latina voters can make an impact. Stay with us, Yes, hey, 289 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: we're back. Let's get back to the conversation about the 290 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 1: political power of Latino and Latina voters in the upcoming midterms. 291 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 1: I'm joined by my in the Thick co host Julo Ricardo, 292 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:39,959 Speaker 1: Sonya Diaz of UCLA's Latino Policy and Politics Institute, and 293 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:45,439 Speaker 1: Jasmine Uyoa from The New York Times. So we also 294 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: know while Latinos and Latinas are underrepresented in public office 295 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:55,159 Speaker 1: this election cycle, we're actually seeing more candidates who are 296 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 1: Latino or Latina running for office. Yeah, there are a 297 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 1: lot of key races in two and sometimes I can 298 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 1: feel a little bit overwhelming, right, and people too not 299 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 1: about this, but we know that control of the House 300 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:08,720 Speaker 1: and the Senate are at stake. 301 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 4: For the Democrats. 302 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: So, Jasmine, you recently wrote a piece about a competitive 303 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: house race in Colorado with a conservative state senator going 304 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: up against Yadida Garraveo, who's a Democratic state representative. And Jasmine, 305 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 1: I'm wondering, can you break this down for us again, 306 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: this example of a race and what it should be 307 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:30,399 Speaker 1: a harbinger of and what we should be keeping an 308 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:32,879 Speaker 1: eye on in terms of other midterm races. 309 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:33,359 Speaker 4: Yeah. 310 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 5: So, Colorado's eighth district, which covers the north suburbs of Denver, 311 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 5: it's a really fast and growing area. It includes rural voters, 312 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 5: you know, rural Latino voters, it includes suburbs, exerbs. It's 313 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:51,439 Speaker 5: just a really geographically and demographically it's diverse. And so 314 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 5: Yahdidra Garraveo is buying to be the first Latina from 315 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 5: Colorado to serve in Congress. We've seen this all over 316 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:01,240 Speaker 5: the country, right the growths and any cities and states 317 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 5: are being driven by the Latino population. But Colorado is 318 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 5: like a perfect example of where that representation of Latinos 319 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 5: hasn't been there. I think it's been two Latino congressmen 320 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:13,399 Speaker 5: in the last twenty five years. So this is a 321 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:16,239 Speaker 5: really interesting district because there's no incumbency there. It's an 322 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 5: open seat, it's a new seat, so there's just people 323 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 5: have no idea where the Latino population is going to go. 324 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:25,959 Speaker 5: And so Yadda is really selling her personal story as 325 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 5: the daughter of Mexican immigrants, this embodiment of what you 326 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 5: can do in the United States and an inclusive United States. 327 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 5: On the other side, Barbara Kirkmeyer is playing on the economy. 328 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:40,679 Speaker 5: She's really leaning on the troubles in the economy to 329 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 5: make the case I'm here to make sure that you 330 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,360 Speaker 5: can work hard and strive. 331 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: I mean the fact that Yadida is running in Colorado 332 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: that she could be the first Those would be places 333 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: where you're saying, well, Caraveo is actually, you know, trying 334 00:20:58,400 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 1: to go for this. 335 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:00,640 Speaker 4: She's jumping in. 336 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 1: She's not essentially sitting back and just saying, well, you know, 337 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 1: there's nothing to be done exactly. 338 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:09,360 Speaker 5: Yeah, this is definitely one of those seats. The other 339 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:11,439 Speaker 5: seats that, of course I'm watching im in South Texas, 340 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:14,679 Speaker 5: like we've already mentioned Flores who won the special election 341 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:18,719 Speaker 5: seat Monica de la Cruz and Cassie Garcia in the Valley. 342 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:20,879 Speaker 5: You know, they call him the far right Latinas. But 343 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 5: I think what's really interesting about Monica de la Gruz 344 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 5: is competitor on the Democratic side, Michelle Vajeho. Her ad 345 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,000 Speaker 5: introducing herself to voters has her walking through Aula. You know, 346 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 5: she talks about how she grew up with Pulierro's. 347 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 8: For people who don't know what that is, flea markets. 348 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 1: It's like a swap meet kind of. Yeah, it was 349 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 1: a very effective ad, Like you don't often see a 350 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: political candidate saying, hey, like in this bulga, this is 351 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 1: kind of where I grew up shopping. 352 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 5: Yeah, she now runs it. She's also making that American 353 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 5: dream appeal, touting her working class credentials, but instead of 354 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,880 Speaker 5: using it to close the door behind herself right behind others, 355 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:59,479 Speaker 5: she's using it to push these progressive policies such as 356 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,719 Speaker 5: raising them of wage or expanding Medicare for all. So 357 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 5: that's going to be a really interesting race because you 358 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:07,080 Speaker 5: can really see the contrast on the other side of 359 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 5: how they're touting the working cross credentials that appeal to 360 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 5: the economy, which is what I keep hearing from Latinos. 361 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:15,920 Speaker 5: They want to hear most about Sonya. 362 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: What are some of the races that you're focusing on 363 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 1: and that are either giving you hope or are making 364 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,479 Speaker 1: you infinitely more frustrated about the future. 365 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 4: And Latino and Latino. 366 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 6: Voters, well, I think that this is a really important 367 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:32,639 Speaker 6: way to think about both an opportunity and then also 368 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:37,919 Speaker 6: unfortunately something that our unsophisticated democracy is going to have 369 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 6: trouble overcoming, which is candidacy. Neither party is really betting 370 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:47,360 Speaker 6: on growing a Latino bench. We see that cycle after cycle. 371 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 6: I was anticipating that come twenty twenty two, when there's 372 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:56,679 Speaker 6: open gubernatorial contests, that the Democratic Party would really start 373 00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 6: championing Latina or Latino candidates, and in fact, in a 374 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 6: place like Arizona, which was ripe given the ways in 375 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 6: which those voters have really safeguarded democracy, the party has 376 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 6: fallen short. And so the main point here is that 377 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:15,399 Speaker 6: Latinas are great crossover candidates. 378 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:18,120 Speaker 4: So it's smart exactly for. 379 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 6: Those Republican strategists that are really helping three conservative, right 380 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 6: wing Latina candidates in South Texas to test the boundaries 381 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 6: of that. What I will say in terms of the 382 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 6: races is Nellie Gorbea who really was a statewide constitutional 383 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 6: officer secretary of State in Rhode Island is now running 384 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:40,400 Speaker 6: for governor, and she's the first person in England that's 385 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 6: Latina again. Sonia Chang Dias was in the running for 386 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:47,680 Speaker 6: Massachusetts governor but has since withdrawn. Her name will still 387 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:50,679 Speaker 6: be on the ballot. Similarly, one of the things that 388 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 6: we need to see is to what extent are Democrats 389 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:58,920 Speaker 6: not only expanding the electorate but maintaining holds that require 390 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 6: continued investment, and Nevada is a place where the Democratic 391 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 6: Party needs to continue to invest heavily. On the ballot 392 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 6: is Senator Catherine Cortes Masco, the first Latina US Senator 393 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 6: in the history of this country, up for reelection. How 394 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:19,359 Speaker 6: much is the party going to support her so she 395 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:23,199 Speaker 6: comes out successful with wide margins and then also is 396 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 6: going to be an important leader nationally in the run 397 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 6: up to the twenty twenty four elections. The other thing 398 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:32,679 Speaker 6: in my home state of California, though Alex Badia was 399 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:37,639 Speaker 6: appointed by Governor Newsom during the June primaries, voters overwhelmingly 400 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:40,360 Speaker 6: elected him to a full six year term. He had 401 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 6: to run to fulfill and serve Vice President Kamala Harris's 402 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 6: term and then for his new six year. 403 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 8: He's there. 404 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 6: Now the party needs to elevate his leadership to start 405 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:54,160 Speaker 6: building the pipeline and turning out Latino voters in other 406 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:56,919 Speaker 6: places like the Midwest and even the South. When we 407 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 6: think about some of these candidates, there's all so the 408 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 6: messaging and the issues. So I liked what Jasmine was 409 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 6: saying around the nuance right, whether it's the economy or jobs. 410 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 6: We know the twenty sixteen presidential election was about xenophobia, 411 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,679 Speaker 6: plain and simple. In twenty twenty, Trump and a strategist 412 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 6: transition to really talk about the economy. Now, as we 413 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:21,919 Speaker 6: look towards twenty twenty four, we already see some Democratic candidates, 414 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 6: namely white candidates from the West Coast, starting to dip 415 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 6: their toes into some of the battleground states. So Governor 416 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 6: k Newsom started running ads in Florida. Why well, his 417 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 6: whole career has been around gun reform and LGBT rights, 418 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:40,880 Speaker 6: and those are on the table with the Supreme Court. 419 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 6: And so what we need to see is out of 420 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 6: pocket ideas that are starting to message on the issues 421 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 6: in ways that are culturally relevant. And frankly, we just 422 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:55,200 Speaker 6: refuse to integrate non white voices into our policy making 423 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:56,920 Speaker 6: and decision making tables. 424 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: I mean, you have to do mass marketing without consumers 425 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: that are black or Latin or Latina, you have no future. 426 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 1: But again, it's just fascinating to see how the political 427 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: parties are, at least the Democrats are kind of experiencing 428 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:11,479 Speaker 1: still a kind of lethargy on this. 429 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 9: This is the same conversation that I've been having just 430 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 9: like wake up. But it's interesting because I think Sonia, 431 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:21,200 Speaker 9: you brought it up. Another part of this that we've 432 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 9: been talking about in terms of trying to get this 433 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 9: sort of holy grail of political power for our community, 434 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:31,399 Speaker 9: which you know is this quest that is probably going 435 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:35,119 Speaker 9: to take several years, maybe even decades, is this notion 436 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 9: of voter suppression tactics. And I know we focused on 437 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:42,960 Speaker 9: misinformation and disinformation previously, but talking about voter suppression and 438 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 9: jerry mandering, especially in Republican leaning legislators where there's still 439 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:50,720 Speaker 9: lies about voter fraud and the election, the twenty twenty 440 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:54,439 Speaker 9: election being stolen, and how those lies have led to 441 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:58,400 Speaker 9: actual laws being passed that restrict access. 442 00:26:58,000 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 8: To voting in key states. 443 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,160 Speaker 9: One example is that the Justice Department is suing Arizona 444 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:06,960 Speaker 9: over a new state law that requires proof of citizenship 445 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:10,680 Speaker 9: to vote in a presidential election. And also Republicans are 446 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 9: redrawing district maps in a way that gives them more 447 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:16,640 Speaker 9: of an advantage and takes away political power from black 448 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 9: and Latino voters. 449 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 8: Example of this is in Texas. 450 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:23,640 Speaker 9: Last year, state lawmakers voted on a map that added 451 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 9: no new congressional districts in areas where black and Latino 452 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,240 Speaker 9: and Latino voters make up the majority. Even though Sonya 453 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 9: was talking about these districts being added in Texas, they 454 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:38,399 Speaker 9: weren't reflective of the demographics of Texas, and those demographics 455 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 9: black and Latinos are fueling the state's population growth. Then 456 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 9: we get messaging from the President of the United States, 457 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 9: President Biden, who just says, just go out and vote. 458 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 11: If you want to change the circumstance for women and 459 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 11: even little girls in this country, please go out and vote. 460 00:27:56,720 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 11: Nothing guaranteed about our way of life, fight for it, 461 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 11: defend it, and earn it by voting. 462 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,240 Speaker 8: Vote, vote, vote, vote. 463 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 9: So jasmine in your reporting in what people are saying 464 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 9: about exercising their political power when there are clear examples 465 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 9: of gerrymandering or just laws against claims of voter fraud. 466 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:25,639 Speaker 9: What are people telling you in this context of you know, 467 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:26,520 Speaker 9: voter suppression. 468 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,119 Speaker 5: I think that the temperature has been building on this 469 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 5: issue for the last year. I mean, it's of course, 470 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:35,640 Speaker 5: it's a long drawn out battles in places like Texas 471 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 5: where you know, you have maldaf and lu LAC and 472 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 5: all these other lat know, advocacy organizations that have long 473 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 5: been fighting for equal access to the ballot for many years. 474 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 5: It's kind of more of the same for them, but 475 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 5: ratchet it up, if that makes sense, right, And so 476 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 5: in talking to veterans of voting rights battles, there's been 477 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 5: this realization in the power of the state and how 478 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:00,120 Speaker 5: they've been too focused on the federal level and on 479 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 5: on the Supreme Court with the loss of Row. What 480 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 5: I'm hearing from people who have been fighting these battles 481 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 5: for a really long time is just the need to 482 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 5: reinvest at the state level. 483 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 9: You're right, obviously Texas has a history and you know 484 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 9: that's where you're from, and talking about sort of this 485 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 9: effort from conservatives, this is a long term plan that's 486 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 9: starting to come to fruition. 487 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 8: Jasmine share a little more about that. 488 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 5: Yeah, So in talking to for example, karthik Ramakrishna, you know, 489 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 5: he's a public policy professor at the University of California 490 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 5: and talks a lot about how this state push on 491 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 5: the part of conservatives has been very intentional, starting from 492 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,280 Speaker 5: the Civil Rights Act of nineteen sixty four and the 493 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 5: Voting Rights Act of nineteen sixty five, that since then, 494 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:45,240 Speaker 5: conservatives have really realized the power of the state and 495 00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:49,600 Speaker 5: the power of that grassroots advocacy, this extremely conservative Supreme Court, 496 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 5: the control of state legislatures, this jere mandering has really 497 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:58,719 Speaker 5: been a fifty year effort, and so for progressives who 498 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 5: have been so focused on the Fed level on trying 499 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:05,560 Speaker 5: to pass legislation and failing. There hasn't been comprehensive immigration form, 500 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 5: there hasn't been these sweeping gun measures that they've been 501 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 5: pushing for. What he's predicting, what others are predicting, is 502 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 5: this shifting that's going to need to happen to do 503 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 5: that same kind of level of advocacy and grassroots organizing 504 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,960 Speaker 5: from the bottom up. But that is going to take years, 505 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 5: is what. Yeah, you know he said. 506 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:25,480 Speaker 9: The people power that Maria when Maria cites Dolores Werta, 507 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:27,719 Speaker 9: you know that it has to come from the grassroots up, 508 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 9: but it takes a long time. Sonya is voting enough? 509 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 9: And if not, what else should people be focusing on. 510 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:37,200 Speaker 6: There's been a concerted effort after President Barack Obama was 511 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 6: elected to start disentangling access to the ballot box, and 512 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 6: this happened in all forms of our republic. There was 513 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:51,080 Speaker 6: a Republican led focused effort at the legislative level to 514 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:55,880 Speaker 6: start passing restrictive voting bills that predates Trump. There was 515 00:30:56,080 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 6: the Supreme Court ruling in twenty thirteen and she County 516 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,480 Speaker 6: that essentially gutted Section five of the Voting Right Tact, 517 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:07,840 Speaker 6: the preclearance requirement. Those litigation and legal cases continue to 518 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 6: be well funded by moneyed interests to take away Section two, 519 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:16,520 Speaker 6: which is really around the opportunity to have equal political voice. 520 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:21,720 Speaker 6: This is not new. Voting has been a place where, 521 00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 6: because of demographics in this country, has dictated the policy 522 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:31,960 Speaker 6: preferences of a mature, aging and dwindling white electorate for 523 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 6: a nation that is predominantly fueled by the growth of 524 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 6: Asian Americans and Latinos. So this is purposeful what we're 525 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 6: seeing right now though that one still needs to vote, 526 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 6: but the strategy needs to be bigger. You've got to 527 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:52,040 Speaker 6: hook voters in, you've got to make them enthusiastic about 528 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 6: a platform or a product, but you also have to 529 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:57,480 Speaker 6: make sure that they're going to be able to cast 530 00:31:57,520 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 6: a ballot. And so if I had money and I 531 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 6: was a white strategist in the bout way that election 532 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 6: after election major parties put on retainer, I would say, 533 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 6: we still need to register voters, and we need to 534 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 6: do education because the modality of voting has changed continues 535 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 6: to be transformed. In states like California that are expanding 536 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 6: the electorate where everybody gets a mail in ballot at home, 537 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 6: well where do you drop it off? To states that 538 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 6: are changing because they don't want black and brown voters 539 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:28,320 Speaker 6: to vote, like Arizona and cutting the names off of 540 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:32,360 Speaker 6: early voting. So there's a lot here, but it's really simple. 541 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:37,880 Speaker 6: Spend money to get eligible voters to transition from eligibility 542 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 6: to likely voters, and you will then see the ways 543 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 6: in which our policy, our politics, our democracy changes. 544 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:48,960 Speaker 8: But ultimately this is all purposeful. 545 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 6: And on one side there's wilful neglect and on the 546 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:55,040 Speaker 6: other side there's a cohesive strategy that has been decades 547 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 6: in the making. 548 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:01,480 Speaker 4: Thank you all for being on Latino USA with me. 549 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:02,480 Speaker 4: We appreciate it. 550 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:05,640 Speaker 8: Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. 551 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 1: This episode was produced by Harshaannahandan, edited by Grella. 552 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:26,760 Speaker 4: It was mixed by J. J. Carubin. 553 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 1: The Latino USA team includes Andrea Lobez, Grusado, Marta Martinez, 554 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 1: Deisy Condredas, Mike Sergent, Julieta Martinelli, Victoria Strada, Patricia Sulbaran, 555 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:41,080 Speaker 1: Alejandra salasad Rinaldo, Leo Junior, and Julia Rocha, with help 556 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 1: from traul Perez. 557 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:44,959 Speaker 4: Our editorial director is Fernande Santos. 558 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 1: Special thanks to the rest of the In the Thick 559 00:33:47,160 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 1: team as well Nor Saudi, Lisa Salinez and Sarah Herschander. 560 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 1: And remember to subscribe to In the Thick wherever you 561 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 1: get your podcasts. Our director of engineering is definitely the Beau. 562 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:00,440 Speaker 1: Our senior engineer. 563 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:01,480 Speaker 4: Is Julia Caruso. 564 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:05,400 Speaker 1: Our associate engineer is Gabrielle Abias. Our marketing manager is 565 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 1: Luis Luna. Our theme music was composed by Zane Ribnos 566 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:12,319 Speaker 1: I'm your host and executive producer Marghno Posa. Remember join 567 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 1: us for the next episode and in the meantime, look 568 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:17,560 Speaker 1: for us on all of your social media and notes. 569 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:24,239 Speaker 12: Joe Latino USA is made possible in part by California 570 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 12: Endowment building a strong state by improving the health of 571 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 12: all Californians, the John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, 572 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:36,839 Speaker 12: and the chan Zuckerberg Initiative. 573 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:41,000 Speaker 9: I'm trying to think of, like what do I say 574 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:43,120 Speaker 9: after note yes, But I haven't come up with the 575 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 9: right catchphrase. 576 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:46,040 Speaker 8: But I love it.