A left-leaning group plans to spend $6 million to organize Latino voters in Texas. This demographic has shown reduced support for Democrats yet remains vital for their Congressional election ambitions.
The initiative, led by Somos Votantes, includes a statewide $2 million electoral education campaign. This effort focuses on door-to-door conversations and voter registration. Additionally, its affiliate political committee, Somos PAC, is preparing a $4 million ad campaign. These ads will target three congressional districts in South Texas. The goal is to channel voter frustration about the economy towards supporting Democratic candidates in Republican-leaning areas.
“We genuinely hope to regain Democratic support by showcasing the positive economic vision of Democratic candidates in these congressional districts,”
said Melissa Morales, founder of Somos Votantes.
Texas is pivotal in the battle for control of the House of Representatives in the November midterm elections. Winning back Hispanics who leaned towards President Donald Trump in 2024 is crucial for Democratic chances in this area.
In response to Trump’s influence, Texas Republicans redrew the districts last fall. This redistricting was intended to favor their party, aiming to flip up to five Democratic seats. They are betting that the Hispanic shift towards Republicans will last, though that is uncertain.
Somos PAC targets three districts where Trump won by double digits in 2024: District 15, where Republican Monica De La Cruz faces Tejano music star Bobby Pulido; District 23, currently vacant after Republican Tony Gonzalez resigned following a scandal; and District 35, largely new due to recent redistricting.
Morales emphasized that Somos PAC is focusing on more challenging districts rather than main battlegrounds, which receive significant national attention. These districts might determine whether Democrats achieve a narrow majority or expand it to a 20-seat advantage.
“If we want to reach those 20 seats, we must invest in harder-to-reach districts early,”
Morales asserted. In Texas, this means winning back Latino voters.
Although Trump made gains among Hispanic voters in 2024, general opinion of him has declined among Hispanics since his presidency began. According to an AP-NORC poll, only 29% of Hispanic adults nationally approved of his performance as of June, down from 41% at the start of his second term.
Historically, Latino voters have mainly supported Democrats. However, in the 2024 elections, some shifted towards Trump. Most still supported Democrat Kamala Harris, yet Trump made notable advances. He secured 43% of Latino voters nationally, up from 35% in 2020. This shift is partly attributed to economic factors.
Morales emphasized the importance of providing Hispanics a compelling reason to vote for Democrats.
“We risk people staying home out of disillusionment with everything,”
she explained, highlighting the significance of their ad campaign.