Rep. Linda Sánchez is the first woman to lead campaign arm of Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Sanchez #Sanchez
Rep. Linda Sánchez will be the first woman to helm the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ campaign arm.
Sánchez, D-Whittier, who was first elected to Congress in 2002, will serve as chairwoman of the BOLD PAC for the next two years, the organization announced Wednesday, March 1, on the first day of Women’s History Month. She was elected to the seat in a closed-ballot vote against Rep. Norma Torres, D-Ontario.
Calling her election “an honor,” the Democratic lawmaker added that her work is far from over, saying in a statement, “While this Congress is the most diverse in history, there is so much work left to be done.”
The percentage of non-White members of Congress has steadily grown over the years and Latino lawmakers in particular made historic gains in the 2022 midterm elections — the number of Latinos elected to federal and statewide office hit an all-time high.
However, Sánchez said Hispanics still make up only 10% of Congress, though they account for nearly 19% of the population. Women, who make up more than half of the U.S. population, account for just over 28% of Congress.
“As we continue our fight to increase diversity in Congress, my top priority will be to ensure that the Latino community is central to the political process,” Sánchez said. “That means defending our incumbents and making sure that Latino, and especially Latina, candidates are encouraged to run for office nationwide and have the resources they need to win.”
Several elected officials in Orange County praised the choice of Sánchez as chair, echoing each other that the experiences she brings to the table will benefit the Latino community, as well as working Americans.
“Rep. Sánchez has spent years fighting for Southern California’s working families, and has never relented in her mission to uplift Latino voices, here in California, and across the country,” Rep. Lou Correa, D-Anaheim, said. “That’s why I was honored to ratify her election alongside my fellow BOLD PAC board members. She’s someone who deeply understands the impact of Latino voices in our politics, as long as we uplift them.”
Ada Briceño, chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County, said “leadership positions amplify the influence and priorities” of members of Congress, which will benefit local communities, and “Sánchez’s perspective as a working mother, her immigrant family background, her previous career as a labor attorney — her life experiences are essential in benefiting the greatest number of Americans.”
The 38th congressional district represented by Sánchez is anchored in Los Angeles County, but includes La Habra in Orange County. The Hispanic or Latino population, as designated by the U.S. Census Bureau, is the largest demographic group in LA County, accounting for nearly half of all residents, and nearing 35% is the second largest group in OC. The state of California is a majority-Hispanic or Latino state.
José Moreno, a former Anaheim councilman and current chair of the department of Chicano & Latino Studies at Cal State Long Beach, said he hopes Sánchez’s election signals recognition her district represents areas with some of the greatest needs in the country.
“The pockets of areas that she represents are among some of the hardest hit areas for folks that suffer from the ravages of poverty, lack of health insurance and draconian immigration policies that exploit immigrant labor, but do not provide a humanizing set of eyes on that experience. Most people don’t understand that about this part of California,” he said. “I’m really excited about the possibilities that are created when someone like Congresswoman Sánchez is appointed to leadership, and I’m hopeful that she, through her own lived experiences, brings legislation that supports these specific needs.”
BOLD PAC, founded in 2001, is “dedicated to increasing the diversity of our leadership in the House and Senate.” In 2022, it raised $12.3 million and spent $14.7 million, pouring nearly $6 million in direct investments for Latino candidates, according to campaign finance tracking source OpenSecrets.
“I’m hopeful Congresswoman Sánchez will be supportive,” Moreno said, “of community-minded candidates and current members of Congress who have focused on day-to-day issues of the working poor, that is a huge portion of the Latino community.”