Provider: I’m a young latino voter. No group has thought

On Tuesday, I voted for the first time. Not the President, not at midnight, but in the special election of California to eliminate the efforts of the Texas Republielicans Republie. What makes this especially powerful is that both groups are betting on the same demographic – Latino voters.

For years, pundits considered Latinos to be the Democrats. The lead of President Obama’s 44-Point points with these voters in 2012 issued a narrative: “To change the scope” (shorthand for more annographs) would have been doublom republicans.

But 2016, and especially the 2024 election, ended that idea. Last year, Trump lost the Latino vote by only 3 points, down from 25 in 2020, according to Pews. Trump is carried 14 out of 18 Texas is counted within 20 miles of the border, a large – latino state. The shift was so important that the Republieland of Texas, under the leadership of Trump, was redistributed DRM districts to suppress democratic representations, The stakes are high That the Republican gains made by Latinos can enter the midterms in November 2026.

Fighting Republican Grymanders in Texas, Gov. Gavin Newlom and California Democrats are pushing their recount strategy, hoping to send more Democrats to the House. They also want to bank on Latino Support – but that’s not a sure bet.

Imperial County offers a cautionary tale. This border state is 86% Latino, among the poorest in California, and has long been politically neglected. It was considered a reliable blue for decades; From 1994, it supported every democratic President until 2024, when Trump lost the district.

Determined to understand the recent change, during the Summer Break I went to Imperial County, talking with local officials in El Centro, Centxico and other towns. Their understanding revealed that the results of 2024 were not only able to migrate or vision; They were about leadership, values ​​and, above all, economics.

“It was crazy. It was amazing,” Imperial County Registrar of Voters Linsey Dale told me. He pointed out that the assembly seat that represents most of Imperial County and part of Riverside County turned Republican.

Many interviewees point to the frustration of voters and the age of Biden Biden and Kamala Harris’ lack of visibility. In a climate of nostalgia politics, many Latino voters turned out for what they saw as a relative strength of yesteryear.

Older Latinos, in particular, are drawn to Gop’s rosetoric surrounding family and culture. But when asked about the top driver of the vote, Deputy County Executive Officer, Rebecca Terrazas-Baxter, told me: “It wasn’t immigration. It was economic hardship and inflation.”

Republicans winning voters on issues like the cost of living, especially coming out of the recession, makes sense, but I doubt the idea that the voters are completely in the seat of conservative positions.

Imperial voters return progressive economic policies to the ballot box and hold a positive view of local government programs that bring tangible help such as HomeBuyer assistance, housing reform and health care reform and health care reform and health expansion. In the past, even if they supported the Democratic primary, they voted for the conservative ballot and the Republican nominated ticket. Spiritual voters supported Obama by a wide margin but also supported California’s Proposition 8, banning same-sex marriage. This mix of progressive development and conservative values ​​is why Republipunicon political consultant Mike Madrid describes latino partisansip as a “weak anchor.”

The same fluidity explains why many Latinos have rallied behind Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2020 and later voted for Trump in 2024. Both men ran as outcasts of the establishment and brought about economic revival. For Latinos, it was neither left nor right; It was about survival.

The lesson for both parties in California, Texas and everywhere is that no matter how the lines are drawn, no state should be considered “safe” without serious involvement.

It should go without saying, Latino voters are not a monolith. They split tickets and vote based on economic intelligence. Latinos are the fastest-growing and fastest-growing minority in the US, at 30 years old. Twenty-five percent of Americans are Latino, myself. We are the next generation’s most turnout voters.

Like many new Latino voters, I went to the polls for the first time with ambivalence. I have been waiting for my turn to participate in the American democratic process for a long time, but I never expected to be the first to stop a conspiracy to reverse it. And yet, I feel hope.

The 2024 election made it clear to both parties that Latinos are not to be taken for granted. Latino voters are American Democracy’s GADE cards – Young, energetic and aggressive. What kind of democracy do they embody if Be: fluid, responsive and grounded in the evening mood. They do not swear allegiance to red or blue; They back off whoever they think will move you. America’s fastest-growing voting bloc is on the cusp of catching up.

Francesca Moreno is a senior at Marlborough School in Los Angeles, researching Latino voting behavior under the direction of the TOLERD SAHTIALSTION Mike Madrid.