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Republican Mayra Flores made historical past on Tuesday, profitable a South Texas congressional seat that had been occupied by Democrats for greater than 100 years. The district, which is essentially populated by Latinos on the southern border, went for President Joe Biden within the 2020 presidential election.
So, how did Flores win?
“I feel this speaks to Ronald Reagan’s message of Hispanics are Republican, they simply don’t comprehend it but,” says Cesar Ybarra, vp of coverage at FreedomWorks. “Republicans have been doing a greater job at explaining the Republican Get together platform to Hispanic voters. This has been amplified simply by the horrible job that President Biden and the congressional Democrats have been doing with the economic system.”
Ybarra thinks Flores’ victory is the start of a resurgent GOP making inroads with minority voters, however that it’s going to take time.
“Huge modifications don’t occur in two years, in 4 years. We’ve obtained to take a look at the lengthy recreation,” he says. “And what occurs in politics too typically is we get so slowed down in profitable the day and profitable the week that we neglect about the place we need to be in 2025, the place we need to be in 2030.”
Ybarra joins the present to debate the rising shift of Latino voters from the Democratic Get together to the GOP, and what this implies for future elections.
We additionally cowl these tales:
- In Could, there have been 222,000 border apprehensions outdoors of official ports of entry, a brand new file.
- The typical 30-year mortgage price rises to five.78%, the very best degree since 2008.
- A bunch of conservative leaders writes a letter to Lawyer Normal Merrick Garland and Assistant Lawyer Normal for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke about ongoing violence in opposition to disaster being pregnant facilities and church buildings.
Take heed to the podcast or learn the evenly edited transcript under.
Doug Blair: My visitor right now is Cesar Ybarra, vp of Coverage at FreedomWorks. Cesar, welcome again to the present.
Cesar Ybarra: Nice to be again at The Heritage Basis.
Blair: In fact. Properly, we’re all the time joyful to have you ever. Let’s speak about that election in South Texas. Republican Mayra Flores simply gained a large victory in a South Texas district that hasn’t elected a Republican in additional than 100 years and that went for President [Joe] Biden again within the 2020 election. So, how did we get right here? How did this shift occur?
Ybarra: Yeah, I feel this speaks to Ronald Reagan’s message of Hispanics are Republican, they simply don’t comprehend it but. And I feel since then, Republicans have been doing a greater job at explaining the Republican Get together platform to Hispanic voters.
This has been amplified simply by the horrible job that President Biden and the congressional Democrats have been doing with the economic system, proper? We’ve got high-rising inflation, the border is in a state of catastrophe.
… A latest ballot simply got here out they usually polled individuals in Texas 34 District on what the largest points have been for them. No. 1, the border. No. 2, inflation. Guess what? The Democrats didn’t have a plan to get that fastened, which is how Mayra Flores was capable of promote her message of what she was for, and he or she obtained throughout the end line with 51%.
I imply, we might’ve been joyful if she would’ve gone to a runoff in August, however she crushed it and obtained that 51%, and goes to be a U.S. congresswoman subsequent week. I imply, I’m getting goosebumps simply eager about it. It’s superior.
Blair: Let’s speak about Flores herself. Are you able to give us a profile on Flores? What’s she like; is she a average, is she fairly conservative?
Ybarra: She’s fairly conservative. I wouldn’t say she’s a average. She got here to America when she was 6 years previous, by way of the authorized approach. Grew up in South Texas.
Her husband is a Border Patrol agent, so she has some pores and skin within the recreation on the subject of how our Border Patrol brokers are being handled by this administration. She has some pores and skin within the recreation in residing in a border city, in a border neighborhood the place her constituents live the day-to-day flaws of the border insecurity that’s being perpetuated by the Biden administration.
So, I wouldn’t name her a average. I might say she’s robust conservative. I imply, in the event you have a look at her yard indicators, they stated, “Dios, Familia, Patria”—God, household, nation. These three issues are tremendous conservative.
And once more, I used to be speaking to a few of my pals right now who have been sending me tales about Mayra Flores. And I stated, “After I let you know guys that Hispanics are conservative, that is precisely what we’re speaking about.” We’re speaking about somebody like Mayra Flores. And she or he unfold that message, and I feel she speaks on behalf of all Hispanics after they speak about God, household, nation.
Blair: On condition that there was such a radical shift, clearly, this district, like we stated, hadn’t elected a Republican in over 100 years, and it nonetheless went for President Biden simply two years in the past. Is that this one thing the place we’re seeing Latinos shift based mostly on their very own coverage preferences altering, or is it based mostly on the events, just like the Democrats and the Republican change?
Ybarra: I might say it’s extra on coverage. I might say it’s extra on coverage as a result of once more, proper, while you begin speaking about inflation and border insecurity, you speak about, nicely, what’s inflicting this? It’s coverage. And it’s coverage that’s being pushed by Democrats, and albeit, by squishy Republicans. We all know that Hispanics determine extra as conservative than as Republican or Democrat.
In order that’s what I might say. They’re beginning to notice that their coverage preferences are greatest aligned with Republican candidates. And that’s one thing that’s being demonstrated within the polls that we’ve carried out at FreedomWorks by way of our Hispanic Grassroots Alliance. And it was undoubtedly validated in Mayra’s race.
Blair: Now, you’ve talked about you’ve carried out some polling knowledge about this. Are we seeing this race as a one-time, a one-off, or are we seeing this sample emerge in different elections?
Ybarra: Yeah. I imply, you may have Adam Laxalt in Nevada. I’ve been seeing loads of trending matters of him form of doing nicely with Hispanic voters out in Nevada. Hopefully we will carry out nicely in Arizona. Within the polling that we’ve carried out, it looks like Hispanics down within the Tucson space usually are not as robust as people in Florida or in Texas, or possibly Nevada.
So there’s nonetheless some work to do. This isn’t one thing for us to puff our chest and say, “We’re there.” I simply assume Mayra Flores is an efficient case research of what occurs after we do the proper of messaging and marketing campaign investing. However I simply assume that it’s not going to occur in two years or 4 years; it is a 10-year, 20-year mission, the place we now have to proceed spreading our message and never get complacent.
Blair: Properly, let’s have a look at that large image. You’ve talked about that it is a 10-, 20-year mission. What does that appear to be within the type of aftermath of this election? How does this election impression that 10- to 20-year plan?
Ybarra: Properly, for one, let’s simply return to Mayra Flores slightly bit. … She gained a D+4 district, now she’s going to be operating in a brand new district in November, which is D+15.
With the nationwide atmosphere of how politics are, we nonetheless consider that there could also be a shot for Mayra Flores to drag off the massive upset, however I feel we simply can not get complacent and we have to double down and go more durable than we did on this previous race.
However broadly talking, I feel … it’s going to take teams—native, nationwide, regional—to proceed spreading this message, proceed investing in not solely polling, however outreach to the Hispanic neighborhood.
When you have a look at what the [Republican National Committee] has been doing in establishing their native workplaces for communities in Hispanic districts and black districts, and simply each minority demographic usually—
And I don’t need our efforts to be solely centered on Hispanics, as a result of while you have a look at Center Jap people, Muslims, while you have a look at folks that come from African nations, while you have a look at Asian individuals from Asian nations, they’re additionally fairly conservative.
So this isn’t solely a Hispanic alternative, this is a chance simply to win with minorities throughout the board, which has been a demographic that has been the place the Democrats have had a stronghold on, and now they’re dropping that.
And, man, I don’t know in the event you learn a political story right now, however Vicente Gonzalez, who’s the incumbent operating in opposition to Mayra Flores, was fuming on the Republican management for actually forgetting.
Blair: The Democratic management.
Ybarra: The Democratic chief, for forgetting about Texas 34, for forgetting concerning the “brown individuals in South Texas.” I imply, now they’re beginning to discover that Republicans are on the up and up, in a constructive route with Hispanics.
Blair: In order that’s the kind of lesson that we’re studying from this election, that the GOPs ought to begin reaching out to those communities extra. Are there another classes that they took from this?
Ybarra: That our coverage platform is resonating and that our coverage is correct. I feel we simply obtained to double down on it. We don’t must draw back. We’ve obtained to comprehend that these people are conservative. …
When you may have belief and if you end up a real believer, you may have extra conviction in how your message penetrates extra with these communities. Whenever you’re not being wishy-washy and type of speaking like moderates do with, “Properly, I help this, however no, no, no, we don’t must go.” However we must be agency in our beliefs and the individuals will come, as a result of good coverage is sweet politics. And that is what occurred with Mayra Flores.
Blair: It looks like, in Mayra Flores’ case, going laborious on conservative rules does make sense. Is {that a} type of across-the-board rule? Because the left will all the time say, type of, these minority teams will vote as a monolith. Is that the case, that we will type of say, usually talking, Latinos are likely to vote for extra conservative, unapologetically so, candidates?
Ybarra: I wouldn’t say it’s monolithic, as a result of have a look at California. I imply, 40% Hispanic they usually vote like libs. It’s what it’s, proper?
However in the event you have been to exit in these communities—I don’t have any knowledge or proof to point out this, however I might love for the motion to begin investing in some polling out in California to see how they really feel about these points and begin performing some in-depth research. As a result of it’s important to bear in mind, California has produced two Republican presidents, [Richard] Nixon and [Ronald] Reagan. Think about if we will return and try this.
There’s a wave there; lots of people are fleeing California. Individuals in California are upset concerning the homeless scenario, they’re upset about excessive fuel costs, excessive grocery costs.
And after I inform them, “Properly, why are you complaining? That is the federal government you voted for. You voted for taxes, you voted for all these items that Gov. [Gavin] Newsom was doing, now you get to stay with them. You are able to do one thing about it. You possibly can vote Republican within the subsequent election and see if there’s a change.”
However yeah, so again to your query, it’s not a monolithic vote. I feel it’s regional, however that’s my level. We’ve got to begin going neighborhood by neighborhood, as a result of individuals down in Doral, in Miami, are going to be fully completely different than individuals out in San Diego, California, or within the San Fernando Valley by the Los Angeles space. So it’s not monolithic, we’ve simply obtained to go area by area.
Blair: Now, one thing that you just’ve talked about beforehand is the impression that the Border Patrol had on this specific election. There was, clearly, Flores’ husband works for the Border Patrol.
You retweeted one thing from Christina Pushaw, who does comms for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. She stated, “Mayra Flores’ husband is serving our nation as a Border Patrol officer. Border Patrol is a serious employer in South Texas. Most U.S. Border Patrol brokers are Hispanic. Democrats within the Biden administration have attacked these courageous women and men relentlessly. Time’s up.”
Is there a consensus view amongst Latinos on immigration, or no less than possibly on this specific area, that actually doesn’t sq. with how the company media and the left have portrayed the view of immigration amongst Latinos?
Ybarra: Yeah. With Border Patrol brokers, that’s 100% proper. When you’re a border city child like I’m, you cross the border on daily basis and it’s all the time Hispanics, it’s all the time Asian people form of doing the visa-checking and all of that.
So yeah, I imply, the Democrats have been demonizing Border Patrol brokers. … Now they’re going to be punishing the Border Patrol brokers on horses who allegedly whipped individuals who have been coming into the nation illegally within the first place.
So, it’s not good politics for [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] and “the squad,” the Democrats, and the media, frankly, to begin going after defunding [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], defunding [Customs and Border Protection], defunding Border Patrol. It’s why you may have Vicente Gonzalez fuming on the Democratic Get together management for actually abandoning the Border Patrol brokers.
And you understand what’s so humorous? When you have a look at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Twitter account, they … all the time use a hashtag referred to as #NoSonOlvidados—you aren’t forgotten—talking to the unlawful immigrants.
You already know who they’ve forgotten about? The authorized immigrants. They’ve forgotten concerning the Border Patrol brokers. They’ve forgotten concerning the curiosity of the Hispanic individuals, of Hispanic voters, of People who obtained them there within the first place.
So, Democrats are extra involved with Hispanics who’re right here illegally than with voters and taxpayers.
Blair: So, we did focus on how there isn’t a monolithic type of place amongst Latinos on these matters, however on this specific area, South Texas, how a lot does the border play into their calculus after they go to vote?
Ybarra: I imply, the border is all the things. As I discussed, the newest polling carried out in that district exhibits that 38% consider, or largely consider, that the border and immigration points have been on the high of thoughts, adopted by inflation.
Now, inflation is crushing everybody. Now, when immigration and border safety is above that, you understand it’s dangerous. And why is it dangerous? As a result of the caravans of individuals aren’t actually being parked within the Rio Grande Valley, of their communities, of their districts. They’re being launched into their neighborhood.
Any affordable individual goes to say, “Whoa, what’s occurring right here?” It’s not the individuals, it’s simply that we didn’t join this. If we’re going to stay in a peaceable neighborhood, we’ve obtained to abide by the rule of legislation. We’ve got a authorities, we now have guidelines, we now have legal guidelines for a motive.
Yeah, I imply, the border and immigration difficulty actually performs a giant half for individuals down in South Texas, 100%.
Blair: You talked about that Vicente Gonzalez is absolutely fuming at Democratic management for dropping this election. How are they framing this loss? Are they framing it as that they screwed up or are they saying that it was the racist Republican? How are they framing it?
Ybarra: Properly, what the Democratic Get together management is saying is, “Properly, it’s a D+4, we knew with the nationwide atmosphere that we have been going to lose anyway. So, Mayra Flores is usually a congresswoman for a pair months, we’ll get it again in November.” That’s the perspective that they took. That’s how a lot they don’t care about that district.
And I used to be taking a look at a few of the advertisements, the destructive advertisements that the Pelosi tremendous PAC was operating in opposition to Mayra Flores, and it was on [Jan. 6]. It’s like, oh my gosh, you might be actually attempting to persuade folks that Mayra Flores is an insurrectionist that one way or the other had one thing to do with the riot on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6.
And it’s like, these individuals simply don’t get it. Part of me desires to go and inform them, “Guys, it’s not that arduous. You don’t should be dropping this tough.”
However you understand what? Their loss is our win, and we’ve simply obtained to, like I stated, proceed spreading our message and be constructive greater than something. As a result of, in a extra severe observe, we now have to inform Hispanics what we’re for, not what the Democrats are for. We’ve got to advertise how good our insurance policies are, not how dangerous their insurance policies are.
Once more, this must be a constructive message as a result of, usually talking, Hispanics nationally favor Democrat politicians, however they favor conservative insurance policies. Let’s give attention to the constructive.
Blair: Talking of messaging and issues that appear to pop up rather a lot after we speak about this specific race, loads of shops have famous that Flores is a Mexican-born congresswoman. She’s the primary, I consider, Mexican-born congresswoman to enter Congress in American historical past. How can we have a good time the truth that is a primary and that’s a constructive, with out falling into the identification politics entice that the left all the time does?
Ybarra: I imply, it’s good to acknowledge it. And once more, proper, as a result of the essential factor to focus on right here is Mexican immigrants are Democrat—no. That’s why we now have to make it a degree. As a result of the one individuals that may be immigrants and in Congress should be Democrats. That’s not the case, and Mayra Flores is breaking by way of that.
So that is the thrilling half, and that is what we ought to be celebrating. It’s that it doesn’t matter whether or not you’re Hispanic, whether or not you’re Asian, whether or not you’re black, you’re a conservative first. Your vote issues greater than who you might be and the place you got here from, so we don’t should get too slowed down on the identification politics. Let’s win it, let’s have a good time it. Let’s make it a degree, as I say, to personal the libs.
However no, yeah. I imply, I wouldn’t say we have to get slowed down in that. We have a good time for a day and simply make it possible for when Mayra Flores will get into workplace, that teams like FreedomWorks, like Heritage exit and be certain that she votes the correct approach and is well-educated on the insurance policies, as a result of we all know there are individuals in Congress who’re going to attempt to sway her to doubtlessly be a non-conservative, or in opposition to Heritage’s and FreedomWorks’ values.
So, that is when the actual work begins to make sure that what she campaigned on is become good votes.
Blair: As one remaining query, we’ve seen, clearly, this victory in South Texas. We’ve seen, as you’ve mentioned, that there are many completely different minority teams who’re beginning to shift over to the GOP. How does the GOP hold this momentum going?
Ybarra: Like I discussed, the occasion’s doing job at placing this infrastructure collectively in numerous interior cities. And that’s what teams like FreedomWorks [are] doing. By way of our Hispanic Grassroots Alliance, we’re going to the interior cities, like San Antonio and in Arizona, down in Tucson. We’ve got to go to the unfriendly neighborhoods, as they are saying.
We’ve been speaking to some native candidates who’re operating down in South Phoenix, overwhelmingly Hispanic, Democratic strongholds, however they’re conservative. However they’re nonetheless going on the market they usually’re spreading their message. They’re knocking doorways. They’re in all probability going to lose, they’re in all probability going to lose once more in 4 years, however you’re planting seeds. And that’s what we now have to do.
Once more, large modifications don’t occur in two years, in 4 years. We’ve obtained to take a look at the lengthy recreation. And that’s what occurs in politics too typically, is we get so slowed down in profitable the day and profitable the week that we neglect about the place we need to be in 2025, the place we need to be in 2030.
Blair: A very long time from now.
Ybarra: A very long time from now, however you get my level. You get my level, so yeah. Let’s plan the long run. We’re doing good work now. Let’s simply proceed doing what we’re doing—investing, doing analysis. If one thing goes incorrect, let’s study from it and pivot. Let’s simply hold campaigning and hold educating.
Blair: Attainable to lose the battle, however to win the warfare.
Ybarra: That’s precisely proper.
Blair: OK. That was Cesar Ybarra, vp of coverage at FreedomWorks. Cesar, thanks a lot on your time.
Ybarra: Thanks, Doug.
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