Latino Leaders See a Boost Ahead in Voter Turnout
Julián Castro and Dolores Huerta, the guest speakers at CVM’s September fundraiser, say they believe the most effective way to get more Latinos to vote is going door to door and talking to them. And that’s just what CVM’s grassroots are doing! And Julián reminded us, "It's not about one election, it's about building a movement for the future."
Dolores and Julián also shared some positive information about Latino voters and the upcoming election. Julián — former Mayor of San Antonio and Barack Obama’s HUD secretary who also ran for president in 2020 — said analysis of the Obama campaign for president found that talking to people face to face was most important in getting people to vote. As he spoke (in a personal capacity) about Latinos and elections on a national level, Julián also noted that a candidate's campaign can’t do everything, so grassroots organizations are important in winning elections too.
Dolores — CVM’s good friend and longtime Central Valley activist — pointed out that Kamala Harris will need the support of a Democratic House majority to carry out her policies and plans for the country when she is president. The election of Democrat Rudy Salas to Congress will help flip the House blue.
Rudy’s election would make him the first Mexican-American in the House from
CD 22— truly representative of the Central Valley!
Dolores highlighted a few things in Rudy’s favor. Voter turnout is expected to be higher in November 2024 than in 2022 when he lost by a thin margin of 3,152 votes. Latinos make up 74% of people in CD 22. Rudy estimates he needs 70% turnout to win. And, November turnout is expected to be 70% to 75%!
Also, Rudy is currently raising more funds in 2024 than ever before. In 2022, when he ran, Republican Kevin McCarthy represented the congressional district next to CD 22 and held power as speaker of the U.S. House. He raised a lot of money for Rudy’s competitor, David Valadao. But McCarthy has left Congress, so Valadao may not have that fundraising advantage this time.
Dolores thinks the current attack on immigrants and Mexicans at the national level is similar to when Hitler was coming into power in the 1930s. She pointed out the disconnect between the actual importance of immigrants in the US economy and the attacks on them by Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.
Julián agreed that Trump’s statements insulting immigrants affect Latinos very much in this high-stakes election. While some Latinos seemed to be getting more conservative and were voting Republican, Julián said, Kamala has improved her advantage over Trump and is now leading by 20 to 22 points among Latinos. Dolores attributed this recent rise in Latino support to women who, like Democrats, care about their children, education and ending child poverty.
Dolores recalled that the new boundaries recently drawn for CD 22 — for which the Dolores Huerta Foundation campaigned — resulted in a district with more Democrats. That also gives Rudy a better chance to win.
Julián concluded, “We need people in Congress that are going to have guts to actually represent the people, and the best interest of the country, instead of representing the gun lobby or big oil, or anything else.”