Dems launch new outreach to Hispanics, try to beat back GOP advances with minority voters

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ campaign arm unveiled a six-figure outreach effort to encourage voters to support Democrats during the midterms, using humor to entertain and reach an audience on key campaign issues.

The initiative, called “Our Lucha” or “Our Struggle,” includes a new YouTube channel that will feature actress and television host Gabriela Fresquez to engage voters on issues such as education and gun control.

“The topic of politics at our dinner tables has long been a dirty word, or at least a well-established taboo, to say the least, but elections impact our everyday lives and the people we care about the most,” Ms. Fresquez said.

Republicans have ramped up their appeals to Hispanic voters in recent years, making significant inroads with Hispanic voters and attracting Hispanic Republican candidates for office.

The new effort from Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which does not include Republican members, is an attempt to bolster the Democratic Party’s standing with Hispanics.

Rep. Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat who chairs the caucus’s campaign arm, the BOLD PAC, touted the investment as an early effort that will mobilize voters in November.

“While Our Lucha started in earnest this cycle, it builds on over 20 years of us leading the charge to mobilize Latinos,” Mr. Gallego said. “Fighting for diverse representation is what BOLD PAC does, and it’s something we will keep doing for decades to come.”

The PAC has also sought to reach Hispanic voters through messaging that ties Republicans to the 2021 Capitol riot and rhetoric that promotes that the 2020 election was stolen.

Republicans, meanwhile, have formed several cultural community centers in Hispanic neighborhoods across the country to forge stronger inroads after the 2020 election showed an uptick in GOP support.

The Republican National Committee says President Biden’s low polling numbers, particularly among Hispanics, are an example of a shift to come in this year’s election.

“We’ve seen it before and we’ll see if again: Hispanics will continue to turn out for the Republican Party in droves. November is just the beginning of what is sure to be a new chapter for the Republican Party with Hispanic voters,” said RNC spokesperson Macarena Martinez.

A May poll from Quinnipiac University had 60% of Hispanic voters disapproving of Mr. Biden’s job performance, compared to just 26% who approved. 

Rep. Raul Ruiz, California Democrat who chairs the Hispanic Caucus, downplayed GOP success among Hispanics but warned his party not to take voters for granted. 

“We’re going to continue to elect Latinos, Latinas,” Mr. Ruiz said. “There are by far more who vote Democratic because we care about making sure that we have jobs with dignity, fair wages, and have the ability to protect the environment.”