What we knew about Latino voters that nobody else did

Democrats gained Latinos by a 2 to 1 margin on Nov. 8. They delivered Senate wins in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Nevada and ushered in 42 Hispanic Democratic members of Congress, essentially the most in historical past.

But within the weeks earlier than the election, political pundits have been satisfied that Democrats had a “Latino drawback,” writing post-mortems earlier than the vast majority of voters even solid their ballots.

They have been mistaken. These of us who work in Latino politics knew it. Because the marketing campaign arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), BOLD PAC has spent 21 years getting Latinos elected to Congress. Forward of the midterm, we doubled down. 

The outcomes communicate for themselves: all 31 CHC incumbents gained reelection by operating on platforms tailor-made to Latinos of their districts, together with Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), whose win saved the Senate Democratic. 9 new Latinos will probably be coming to Congress subsequent 12 months, together with 4 in seats picked up by Home Democrats.

So right here’s what BOLD PAC — and numerous different Latino organizations and operatives — knew about mobilizing Latino voters that nobody else did.

First: By no means cease organizing. 

Mobilizing the Latino neighborhood is a 12 months spherical exercise that needs to be led by Latinos and contain main investments. So we made historic investments in mobilizing Latinos and discovering neighborhood leaders throughout the nation to run for workplace and win. Take Colorado: after pediatrician Yadira Caraveo determined to run within the new eighth District, we ran a program to steer Latinos to vote for her. She’ll now turn out to be the primary Latina representing Colorado in Congress.

This story isn’t distinctive. BOLD PAC invested over $6 million in assist of Latino campaigns this cycle, essentially the most we’ve ever carried out. Our efforts have been designed by Latino strategists and included direct involvement in 13 federal races. We gained 11. 

Nowhere have been we extra profitable than in Oregon’s sixth District. We recruited Andrea Salinas, an completed state legislator, and helped her arrange a marketing campaign absolutely led by Hispanics. When over $12 million in outdoors spending flooded in for her main opponent, we doubled down and invested over $1 million ourselves. Regardless of being outspent 12 to 1, Andrea gained her main and can make historical past when she is sworn in subsequent 12 months.  

Second: How and the place you say one thing issues as a lot as what you say. 

We get requested on a regular basis “what do Latino voters wish to hear about?” The not-so-secret fact is Latinos care about the identical points as everybody else: good jobs, decrease prices, good alternatives for his or her children. And so they need their basic rights, like the best to an abortion. 

These points are a core a part of the Democratic Occasion’s platform. However how and the place you’ve got these conversations makes all of the distinction. Efforts to interact Latinos want to satisfy their actuality. Latinos are on YouTube — 85 p.c of Hispanic adults use the platform, which has turn out to be a spot for misinformation. In order that’s the place Democrats must be too.

BOLD PAC carried out an aggressive technique to combat misinformation and energize Latinos to vote for Democrats. We launched “Ya Tu Sabes,” or “Now You Know”, a innovative YouTube channel of genuine Latino-focused movies. They have been in English, Spanish, and Spanglish — a contemporary mixture of the 2 spoken in Latino properties day by day — and coated all the things from the economic system to abortion entry. We engaged influencers as trusted voices to affix the present and share our content material.

Presenting political data with humor and in an genuine method was precisely what was wanted to succeed in extra Latinos, particularly a youthful viewers. This was important as youthful voters helped ship key victories for Democrats nationwide. Folks seen our movies over 1.1 million occasions, and almost half have been by these beneath the age of 35. We ran adverts in New Mexico’s 2nd District, the place Gabe Vasquez defeated MAGA Republican Yvette Herrell, one of many greatest spreaders of misinformation in Congress. 

Third: Latinos are uninterested in MAGA extremists.

Election denying Republicans throughout the nation jumped on the Trump autocratic prepare this cycle, supporting numerous makes an attempt to undermine the need of American voters. However Latinos are very patriotic, particularly these initially from authoritarian international locations, and rejected them. In Nevada, Latinos powered Cortez Masto’s victory in opposition to Adam Laxalt, a MAGA loyalist and election denier. 

BOLD PAC understood the significance of treating Latino voters as persuasion voters to interact with early, absolutely, and in an genuine method. Because of this, the 12 months that “Latinos have been sliding to the GOP” turned the 12 months that elected essentially the most Latino Democratic members of Congress.

Victoria McGroary government director of BOLD PAC and Ruben Gallego is chairman of BOLD PAC.