A longtime adviser to California Gov. Gavin Newsom believes Democrats should talk about immigration rather than trying to avoid the issue.
Juan Rodriguez, a former aide to Kamala Harris, noted that the campaign backing Proposition 50 — a measure to redraw California's congressional maps in Democrats' favor — prominently featured footage of immigration raids.
The ballot measure passed with 65% of the vote, with many Latino voters who voted for President Donald Trump in 2024 swinging back to the left.
"It's clear from the outcome that we flipped the Latino vote in a way that has consequences, not just for this election that happened last Tuesday, but for what the potential [is] for the turnout to be heading into the midterms," Rodriguez told Politico.
Rodriguez told Politico that Latino voters expect their leaders to deliver on economic opportunities and safety, fairness and "opportunities that create acceptance as Americans."
"I don't think you can run away from [immigration] when you look around in cities across America, it is front and center in terms of what people are actually experiencing in their communities," Rodriguez said.
"Republicans are going to continue to try to enforce eliminating due process," Rodriguez added. "If you don't do anything or if you don't talk about it, you're legitimizing, and perhaps may even be responsible for, the actions that this administration is allowed to get away with."
Rodriguez said Democrats don't have to choose between appealing to Latinos and appealing to independent voters who aren't Latino.
"If families are living in fear of raids and separation, you can make the argument that they are also concerned about their ability to work, which also leads to their ability to invest in their communities," Rodriguez said in Politico.
"Immigration reform is also an economic issue, and it is also a public safety issue," Rodriguez added. "It is important for us to be able to understand the differences and the nuance that is required on the topic and not accept the premise that it is an unpopular issue for us, and therefore we should just avoid it."
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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