{"id":7903,"date":"2026-07-16T19:06:39","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T14:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=7903"},"modified":"2026-07-16T19:06:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T14:06:39","slug":"democrats-fight-to-win-back-latino-voters-who-are-key-to-flipping-the-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=7903","title":{"rendered":"Democrats fight to win back Latino voters who are key to flipping the House"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"prism-article-body\">\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao MvWXB TjIXL aGjvy ebVHC \">Two years back, President Donald Trump made gains with Latinos that were decisive to his victory. Now, with conflict overseas and high costs, Democrats are eyeing key House races that have significant Latino populations that are essential for a House majority.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Trump&#8217;s net approval rating among Hispanic voters has suffered since he took office for his second term. A <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/fox-news-poll-most-rate-economy-negatively-including-half-republicans\" dir=\"ltr\"><u class=\" \">June 2026 Fox News poll<\/u><\/a> found Trump underwater by 38 percentage points, with 31% of Latino voters approving of how he was handling his job as president and 69% disapproving. In <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/fox_march-14-17-2025_national_cross-tabs_march-20-release.pdf\" dir=\"ltr\"><u class=\" \">March 2025<\/u><\/a>, he was down by only 11 points with the group, with 44% approving and 55% disapproving.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">But strategists warn that Democrats need to give voters something to vote <em class=\" \">for<\/em>, not just something to vote against.<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/315decc2-5fdd-4d1b-9b2c-ecf19bd0aeed\/joanna-mendoza-az-20260715-rt-jh_1784157902680_hpMain.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/315decc2-5fdd-4d1b-9b2c-ecf19bd0aeed\/joanna-mendoza-az-20260715-rt-jh_1784157902680_hpMain.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/315decc2-5fdd-4d1b-9b2c-ecf19bd0aeed\/joanna-mendoza-az-20260715-rt-jh_1784157902680_hpMain.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/315decc2-5fdd-4d1b-9b2c-ecf19bd0aeed\/joanna-mendoza-az-20260715-rt-jh_1784157902680_hpMain.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PHOTO: Arizona Democrats launch Copper State Victory's first coordinated Democratic campaign office in Tucson, Arizona\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/315decc2-5fdd-4d1b-9b2c-ecf19bd0aeed\/joanna-mendoza-az-20260715-rt-jh_1784157902680_hpMain.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in Arizona&#8217;s 6th Congressional District JoAnna Mendoza speaks during the opening of Copper State Victory&#8217;s first coordinated Democratic campaign office in Tucson, Arizona, on July 12, 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Rebecca Noble\/Reuters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">ABC News spoke to the campaigns of seven candidates running in Latino-heavy battlegrounds to hear how they are targeting voters.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"vPZug ZqdKL xcLAU bunQU uhXXI PjNjV lNbol LBPRq \">Economic concerns pushing Latinos against incumbents<!-- -->\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Mike Madrid, a Republican consultant who studies Latino voters, said regional and national-origin differences among working class voters &#8212; Cubans in Florida, Dominicans in New Jersey, Puerto Ricans in New York and Mexican Americans in California and Texas &#8212;<!-- -->\u00a0<!-- -->are collapsing under one shared issue: the economy.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;Both parties just devolve into these petty, irrelevant cultural battles that are not speaking to anybody&#8217;s concerns. What you end up with is Latinos voting against whoever is in power and punishing them for the economic issues that aren&#8217;t being addressed,&#8221; Madrid added.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">JoAnna Mendoza, a Marine Corps veteran, is challenging Rep. Juan Ciscomani in Arizona&#8217;s 6th District, which Trump won by less than a point in 2024.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;Latinos have felt like we&#8217;re not listened to, we feel forgotten, especially in our rural communities as well,&#8221; Mendoza said.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/fdf2ef4b-222d-41e1-ac3f-67d03cc526dc\/manny-rutinel-co-20260715-ap-jh_1784158378423_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/fdf2ef4b-222d-41e1-ac3f-67d03cc526dc\/manny-rutinel-co-20260715-ap-jh_1784158378423_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/fdf2ef4b-222d-41e1-ac3f-67d03cc526dc\/manny-rutinel-co-20260715-ap-jh_1784158378423_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/fdf2ef4b-222d-41e1-ac3f-67d03cc526dc\/manny-rutinel-co-20260715-ap-jh_1784158378423_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PHOTO: Election 2026 Colorado\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/fdf2ef4b-222d-41e1-ac3f-67d03cc526dc\/manny-rutinel-co-20260715-ap-jh_1784158378423_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">Colorado state Rep. Manny Rutinel, D-Commerce City, answers a question during a debate between Democratic candidates running for Colorado&#8217;s 8th Congressional District on May 28, 2026, in Greeley, Colo.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Brice Tucker\/The Greeley Tribune via AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Manny Rutinel, the Democrat running against Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado&#8217;s 8th District, said that being raised by a single Latina mother, working at McDonald&#8217;s and selling plasma more than 100 times as a teenager to help support his family is a core part of his message.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;This is a deeply personal fight to make sure to fight for working people,&#8221; Rutinel said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Asked if high costs will turn Latino voters away from him, Evans said, &#8220;I voted to make overtime tax-free &#8230; The other side is putting fees on energy production &#8230; Democrat-led policies in Colorado have made Colorado more expensive and less reliable in terms of affordability, grid, utilities.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/4bde3510-9286-4d2a-bd8a-990abeb06925\/bob-brooks-pa-20260715-ap-jh_1784158147333_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/4bde3510-9286-4d2a-bd8a-990abeb06925\/bob-brooks-pa-20260715-ap-jh_1784158147333_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/4bde3510-9286-4d2a-bd8a-990abeb06925\/bob-brooks-pa-20260715-ap-jh_1784158147333_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/4bde3510-9286-4d2a-bd8a-990abeb06925\/bob-brooks-pa-20260715-ap-jh_1784158147333_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PHOTO: Bob Brooks\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/4bde3510-9286-4d2a-bd8a-990abeb06925\/bob-brooks-pa-20260715-ap-jh_1784158147333_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">Bob Brooks, a candidate for the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania&#8217;s 7th Congressional District, speaks an event in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on May 11, 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Matt Rourke\/AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In Pennsylvania&#8217;s Lehigh Valley, home to a large Puerto Rican and Dominican population, Democrat Bob Brooks is running to oust Rep. Ryan Mackenzie.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;People are getting crushed by rising prices, and they want a fighter who will shake up Washington and make life more affordable,&#8221; Brooks campaign manager Jenna Kaufman said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Democrats, who have lost ground with Latinos since 2016, believe the passage of Trump&#8217;s &#8220;One Big, Beautiful Bill&#8221; &#8212; legislation that is set to result in cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits &#8212; will also be key.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In California&#8217;s Central Valley, where Medicaid covers at least half of all Latino residents, Randy Villegas is challenging Rep. David Valadao. He said that the residents in his district will drive across the border to Tijuana for cheaper medical work.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;How is it that Mexico has universal health care, and many of our families are going to a different country to get cheaper, more affordable health care?&#8221; Villegas said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/27883778-8166-41cb-9c33-55c3f8b06f92\/eric-flores-tx-20260715-ap-jh_1784158270253_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/27883778-8166-41cb-9c33-55c3f8b06f92\/eric-flores-tx-20260715-ap-jh_1784158270253_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/27883778-8166-41cb-9c33-55c3f8b06f92\/eric-flores-tx-20260715-ap-jh_1784158270253_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/27883778-8166-41cb-9c33-55c3f8b06f92\/eric-flores-tx-20260715-ap-jh_1784158270253_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PHOTO: Eric Flores\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/27883778-8166-41cb-9c33-55c3f8b06f92\/eric-flores-tx-20260715-ap-jh_1784158270253_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">Republican candidate for Congress Eric Flores visits with supporters during a campaign stop in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Feb. 11, 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Eric Gay\/AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In a South Texas border district that was carried by Trump in 2024, former federal prosecutor Eric Flores is challenging Democrat Rep. Vicente Gonzalez.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Flores, who would represent a district with a significant amount of ranches and farms, said a core issue he&#8217;s focused on is water, citing the recent closure of one of the area&#8217;s largest sugar mills, which resulted in hundreds of jobs lost.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;We&#8217;re not focused on these national headlines,&#8221; Flores said. &#8220;We&#8217;re focused on what&#8217;s going on down here in South Texas. We need water, better infrastructure, better jobs.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"vPZug ZqdKL xcLAU bunQU uhXXI PjNjV lNbol LBPRq \">Limits of hardline rhetoric on immigration<\/h3>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Florida GOP Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, who is running to defend her Miami-Dade seat, said the administration&#8217;s mass deportation program has &#8220;gone too far&#8221; and that her party needs to &#8220;wake up.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;ICE should have only concentrated on those people who have a criminal record &#8230; Everything is out of fear, and I&#8217;m tired of it because it&#8217;s time for us to keep that voting bloc that voted for the president in 2024.&#8221;<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Earlier this week, <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.com\/US\/ice-agent-involved-shooting-maine-authorities\/story?id=134714502\" dir=\"ltr\">ICE agents fatally shot<\/a> 25-year-old Johan Sebasti\u00e1n Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, after agents tried to stop the car he was driving. Guerrero, a Colombian national, was not the target of the operation, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, told ABC News.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Less than a week before that, <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.com\/US\/ice-officers-wearing-body-cameras-deadly-houston-ice\/story?id=134628571\" dir=\"ltr\">an ICE enforcement officer shot and killed<\/a> Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national, during a traffic stop in Houston. A Department of Homeland Security official told ABC News that Araujo was not the original subject in an immigration enforcement operation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Unlike some Democrats who&#8217;ve called to &#8220;abolish ICE,&#8221; these candidates are instead pushing for comprehensive immigration reform.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Mendoza, who would represent a border state, said, &#8220;As someone who served 20 years in the Marine Corps &#8230; national security, particularly homeland, is a top priority for me. I&#8217;m a mom too, so I want safe communities.&#8221;<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">She also argued the administration&#8217;s tariff policy and other conflicts have strained the U.S.-Mexico relationship needed to address cartels and drug trafficking.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;We have to do more than just talk, we have to deliver on comprehensive immigration reform immediately &#8230; Our DACA recipients have now been in legal limbo for over a decade,&#8221; Villegas added.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"vPZug ZqdKL xcLAU bunQU uhXXI PjNjV lNbol LBPRq \">Outreach: Doors vs. the phone<strong class=\"vtkaO \">\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Democratic organizers &#8220;will knock and talk to somebody for 20 minutes once a month,&#8221; while &#8220;Republicans are talking to them eight hours a day on their phones,&#8221; said Madrid, who argued many Democrats still assume most Latinos lean left, missing a decade of change in an electorate that is now more U.S.-born.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">To address this, the campaigns describe outreach strategies that mix old and new.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Mendoza and Rutinel described leaning on Spanish-language media &#8212; ad buys, media interviews, social content and appearances at churches holding Spanish-language services &#8212; paired with a bilingual door-knocking team.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Villegas, who would represent the most Latino district in California, hosted a World Cup watch party at a Latin American restaurant, canvassed with roses and pupusas on Mexican Mother&#8217;s Day and distributed bilingual literature across a district that is predominantly Mexican American.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC eTIW sUzSN \">Madrid warned that traditional politicking may not be enough, pointing to the 2024 results when despite outspending Republicans on ground operations and advertising budgets in an unprecedented and early fashion, the party bled support among Latino voters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two years back, President Donald Trump made gains with Latinos that were decisive to his victory. Now, with conflict overseas and high costs, Democrats are eyeing key House races that have significant Latino populations that are essential for a House majority.\u00a0 Trump&#8217;s net approval rating among Hispanic voters has suffered since he took office for&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7904,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/315decc2-5fdd-4d1b-9b2c-ecf19bd0aeed\/joanna-mendoza-az-20260715-rt-jh_1784157902680_hpMain_16x9.jpg?w=1600","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abc-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7903"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7903\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}