Sacramento – A Republican lawmaker who was removed from the Democratic-led Latin Legislative Caucus in California took the issue into his own hands.

Nine Latino GOP lawmakers have created a Hispanic Legislative Conference in California, defending priorities that diverge from those prioritized by liberal colleagues.

“My experience as a Latino is different from that of my immigrant grandmother,” said Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Acton), a former council member recently elected to the state Senate who helped to create the GOP Caucus. ) said the senator. “The issues that the Latino community wants to focus on are being ignored by Sacramento.”

She said these changes have come for a long time.

The California Legislature has undergone a historic transformation, and now includes 44 Latino lawmakers, more than a third of all state legislators, and the group that includes the most Republicans to date. Included. This comes at the time of evolving voter interests and demographic changes. Republicans emphasize that the new caucus will focus on Latino priorities regarding education, public safety and affordability, and Democrats will focus on “monolithic” issues such as immigration and healthcare. .

Changing political landscapes in California came into view during the November elections.

Overall, 51% of Latino voters voted for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, while an estimated 54% of Latino men voted for Republican candidate Donald Trump. California voters also helped turn the two Democratic districts upside down by electing Republican Congressional member Jeff Gonzalez and Home Gardens’ Leticia Castillo to Latinos.

“I see this as a very healthy development for the Latino community,” said Mike Madrid, a Republican political consultant and Latino demographic expert, who has never been able to reach Latino voters. “No.” “I don’t think either party has monopolized the hearts and minds of the Latino community.”

The parties tend to harmonize along the cost of living and the economy, especially among blue-collar working-class Latinos. However, Madrid points out that Latino Republicans and Democrats disagree with policy issues related to abortion rights and immigration, or something “beyond the economy.” Among the biggest issues that Latino voters are living, housing costs, employment and the economy. Opinion survey Of 1,000 voters from the nonprofit Latino Community Foundation.

“We’re not monolithic,” Valladares, who formed the Republican Caucus with Congressional member Kate Sanchez (R-Trabuco Canyon), told the Times.

Sen. Marie Alvarado Gill, a Democrat of Jackson, has become a Republican and said she felt “closed” to her Democratic counterpart. She also said the democratically-led Latinos Caucus would support “outdated solutions” to problems such as “protecting Latinos under the monolithic umbrella of poor farm workers.”

“It’s not modern Latino,” she said.

California’s Latino population accounts for more than a third of the state’s eligible voters. According to a 2024 survey by UCLA’s Institute for Latin Policy and Politics. Latinx Californians are the lowest paying for hourly jobs and lack high school diplomas compared to other major racial or ethnic groups, the study found.

California Institute of Public Policy I found it Latinos are also the fastest growing segment of the working class, moving even further than last year’s elections since 1994.

35 members Latin Caucus; He was historically guided By Democrats after the first Latino election in 1962, to equal access to protection and immigration regardless of legal status, promote STEM programs in schools, paid sick leave and farm workers. It focuses on a wide range of policy priorities, including the expansion of housing.

“Even in the Latin Caucus, you have moderate, progressive, everything in between,” says Miguel Santiago, a former Democratic Congress member and a member of the Latin Caucus. “But one thing that has always brought us together throughout all the discussions is the unwavering support for the Latino community, especially those who have not yet been documented.”

Santiago said he was “skeptical of integrity” of Hispanic legislative conferences representing Latinx interests.

Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), former council president, left behind legacy of progressive reforms, including giving farm workers overtime salaries and expanding the expansion of pediatric education, but the parties were also involved in the I agree that there should be a Latin caucus.

“We never realised why they wanted to be part of our caucus other than to interfere with us,” he said. “They’ll just scream, we’ll vote, they’ll lose.”

This is not the first time Republicans have been excluded from participating in the Latin Caucus. That was the case in 2014, Congressman Rocky Chavez. Participation is prohibited, It sparks debate about diversity of opinions and policy goals among Latino policymakers.

Madrid is a “sounding sign” of diversity within the community, and allows these differences without enforcing consensus on racial or cultural issues. He said he thinks it should. Latinos don’t see much of the world through the lens of their ethnicity. He said, “It’s progress.”

The Republican-led Hispanic Legislative Caucus has nine members. It is currently registered as a nonprofit, and the Political Action Committee says it is according to Baradales and will begin supporting incumbent reelection and targets for other seats.

They await official recognition from legislative leaders of “equal” funding as a Latinx Caucus for staffing. Legislative leaders as of Friday afternoon were unable to answer whether to approve the funds.