Texas has been called the next great political battleground for decades. But this year, something may actually be changing. On The Signal, we examine the growing Latino electorate, shifting voter attitudes, immigration, the economy and the fight for control of Congress. With guests Lydia Camarillo and Texas State Representative Ramón Romero Jr., we ask whether Texas is finally becoming competitive—and what that could mean for the nation.
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TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
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MUSIC INTRO
The whole run by a handful of greedy bankers and CEOs who nobody elected. What can possibly last? But I'm going to tell you a number of French.
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DINO
But you really are. Welcome back to another episode of The Signal. News, information and analysis. I'm your host, Dino, and I want to welcome all of you from the 98.7 FM signal in Santa Barbara. I'm 93.7 FM in San Diego and 99.5 FM Ridgecrest, China Lake, and of course all our listeners across the globe on kpfk.org where you can always log in to the website and find not only this program, but many other programs, all the programs, indeed, the broadcast on this important public radio station giving you, as I like to say, news, information and analysis.
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DINO
And on today's episode, we're bringing back our special ongoing series, Politics, Tacos and Beer, a reoccurring political conversation series on the signal that goes beyond the campaign talking points and helps connect politics to real life, real communities and real conversations. Today, we're going to go back to the great state of Texas, where we are going to revisit this topic because, well, listen, Texas is going to be one of the highlight political areas of this country, this election, without a doubt.
00:01:31:05 - 00:02:00:11
DINO
We'll be talking to Lydia Camarillo, president of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, who's been on this show before, giving us an analysis on why Texas is becoming so important, a state that has historically been a red state. And, well, things are changing there. And then we're going to join. We're going to be joined by takes Texas State representative, from district 90, chair of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, Ramon Romero jr.
00:02:00:13 - 00:02:36:19
DINO
And he's going to also join us to give us a insight on what's happening within the state directly from the political arenas, that, Texas represents. But let's let's talk a little bit about why why this episode, why this particular topic? You know, we're less than two months away from the November midterm elections, and control of Congress is on the line across the country, both parties are looking at a relatively small number of races that could determine who controls Washington for the final two years of the Trump administration.
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DINO
Today, we're going to spend the hour in one of those places. The state of Texas. For years, the political question around Texas has been almost ritualistic. Is this finally, the election where the state becomes truly competitive? Usually the answer has been no. Republicans have continued winning statewide, while Democrats have pointed to demographic change, urban growth, and, of course, the expanding Latino electorate as evidence that the political ground underneath Texas is indeed moving.
00:03:13:18 - 00:03:51:08
DINO
This year, however, the conversation is different. New polling shows major movement among Latino voters, including voters who moved from Donald Trump in 2020 for the economy. And the cost of living remains central not only in Texas, everywhere here in California and across the country, immigration and the administration's enforcement policies are also shaping the electorate, and Texas is home to congressional districts, a US Senate contest, a governor's race that are forcing both parties to think seriously about what Latino voters may do in November.
00:03:51:10 - 00:04:31:04
DINO
So today, Texas, the midterm power and the Latino vote, what's at stake for the nation is the title of our broadcast. We begin itself now. We start with the electorate itself. Who's moving? Why are they moving? Whether the numbers represent a realignment or simply another political swing and what Latino turnout could mean in November, then we'll go inside Texas politics with State Representative Ramon Romero Jr, chair of the Mexican-American Legislative caucus for the view from the elected official working inside state government in Texas.
00:04:31:06 - 00:05:03:14
DINO
But let's talk a little bit more about what exactly is Donald Trump strategy in all of this? Republicans gathered in Dallas this past week for an unusual national convention in the middle of the midterm election, unusual for a variety of different reasons, there was no presidential nomination. The political objective was much more straightforward energize Trump's voters, raise money, and get people to show up for, well, Trump.
00:05:03:16 - 00:05:33:16
DINO
Show up for Trump. And in the process of doing so, vote. That strategy is number one as far as the Trump administration goes. And winning the election drive out the voters, have them turn out, do it for me. And in turn, these candidates will win. However, turnout becomes particularly important when you look at what is happening in the electorate right now, right there in Texas.
00:05:33:18 - 00:06:11:02
DINO
According to projections from the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and the William C Velasquez Institute, the Latino electorate is continuing to grow. In 2018, folks, about 2.8 million Latino voters were registered to vote. By 2022, that had grown to 3.3 million. And for 2026, SB Group projects approximately 3.8 million registered Latino voters. That's more than 1 million additional registered Latino voters compared to the 2018 midterms or, in other words, increase of roughly 37%.
00:06:11:04 - 00:06:50:00
DINO
Turnout is projected to grow as well, from 1.92 million Latino voters who turned out in 2018 to nearly 2.4 in 2026. Almost half a million additional voters. Folks, that is not just a small amount. Historically, some of us who follow politics, we we like to talk about, you know, this thing we call the Latino bump. Sometimes you have a sufficient amount of voters, the right amount of voters, Latino voters who come out and give an electorate or give a particular party or a particular candidate a sufficient bump in votes, then makes a difference.
00:06:50:00 - 00:07:14:07
DINO
This is why you sometimes hear people describe how you know, this race or that race will boil down. It will come down to Latino voters. Here's a few numbers that tell us a little bit more. Texas is projected to have approximately 6.27 million Latino citizens, a voting age, about 3.8 million are projected to be registered, and only about 2.4 million are projected to actually vote.
00:07:14:09 - 00:07:41:17
DINO
Think about that funnel 6.2 million eligible 3.8 registered, 2.4 projected. That means that the biggest political question in Texas isn't simply which candidates Latino voters support, it's how many will participate at all. There are key races happening in Texas the US Senate race between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico, which is which the Cook Political Report currently categorizes as a toss up.
00:07:41:18 - 00:08:13:04
DINO
There's a governor's race between Republican incumbent Greg Abbott and Democrat Gina Rosa Cook. Political report also categorizes this race as likely Republican, but a move the contest to solid Republican in August, indicating the more competitive environment, that than was earlier in the cycle. And then there are the congressional battles in South Texas, where several districts with very big Latino populations are among the House races being closely watched nationally.
00:08:13:06 - 00:08:38:07
DINO
So the Latino lecture is an operating on the margins of the Texas political story. It's sitting right smack in the middle of several of the state's major electoral contests. And that is why we wanted to go back to Texas and visit with our friends there. My first guest is Lydia Camarillo. She is the president of the Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project.
00:08:38:08 - 00:08:59:15
DINO
Who also holds offices here in Los Angeles. And to help us set up this political landscape, we're joined by Lydia to help us dissect, break apart this our, on the politics of Texas, the implications it has not only for the United States as a whole, but ultimately for places like California and, you know, Texas and California.
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DINO
I'd like those distant cousins that never really liked each other, but they know they are kind of, you know, born in the same when it comes down to some of the communities we represent, albeit our distinct accents. Lydia, welcome back to The Signal.
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LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Thank you. So pleasure to be here with you.
00:09:16:06 - 00:09:35:19
DINO
Thank you. And, you know, lots to dissect. And, Lydia, when when you look at Texas, as you look at Texas right now, what is the political story? Are we looking at another cycle where people talk about Texas becoming competitive, or is there something materially different happening right now in 2026?
00:09:35:21 - 00:10:02:02
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Well, I think there's always this hope by those who want to see a change in Texas that every cycle it's competitive. But Texas hasn't been competitive in a long time, 30 years. But I think that this cycle could be slightly different for a couple of reasons, and especially for the US Senate seat. First, it's truly an open seat.
00:10:02:04 - 00:10:30:17
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
When Beto O'Rourke ran against, Cruz, it was not an open seat. Cruz won by, you know, 2.6 points. So this time it's an open seat. The Latino voter registration has grown from 2018 by over a million more Latinos that are registered to vote. Paxton, who is the candidate running on the Republican side? Ken Paxton, he is not even liked by his party.
00:10:30:19 - 00:10:34:00
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
And so maybe they will fall for the Democrat, right?
00:10:34:02 - 00:10:36:10
DINO
I said much less than Latino community.
00:10:36:12 - 00:11:05:05
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Right. So he might not get the the Republican Party to vote again for a Democrat, but they may just under vote or not vote at all. Okay. Final. And the other two things, I think, is that Tallarico is a man of faith. He's white, is a man of faith, going against a man who has been charged with, criminal and other issues, by, his own party, in the state of Texas.
00:11:05:05 - 00:11:32:01
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
So I think that's a that's significant and big difference. Second, there are seven congressional districts that were stolen. And I say the word stolen very clearly. And I mean it, they were there. Texas, since 2011, gained a total of four new congressional seats. In 2011, there were four. In 2021, there were three. And it's the result of the redistricting and the mid-decade.
00:11:32:03 - 00:11:52:17
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
We all those districts were drawn to where Latinos would elect or carried a choice. In other words, they were Latino majority districts. That is not the case. All seven of the seats have moved. They only took away five that they took to earlier in the year. Those two seats were gained through a lawsuit that we filed in 2011.
00:11:52:19 - 00:12:30:13
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
We gained a congressional district in 3035, which is in San Antonio and up to Austin, and another one in, Dallas Fort Worth. Well, now we've lost all of them. So that factor where people know that they need an algo is to look at that they stole the way. Something that makes people angry and very engaged. And last but not least, there is an issue about the, sense of losing sight of the fact that Texas is, very expensive and that taxes and food and everything is costing.
00:12:30:13 - 00:12:52:14
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
I mean, you can go anywhere now, and if it cost $10, you might cost you 40 just to buy fast food, something that didn't seem possible. So all of those factors, I think, align to make Texas competitive. Not to mention that in the next right after the US census is counted, Texas is going to gain another four congressional seats.
00:12:52:16 - 00:13:16:09
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Wow. Well, other states and in California continue to lose. So it has the capacity of being competitive. But it all comes down to investment and turning up of the Latino vote. The candidates have a habit that goes for Democrats and others of going after the swing vote, right? Going after, white women, going after the black vote. Let me be very clear.
00:13:16:09 - 00:13:26:13
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
I'm not suggesting that that is not done, that they completely, lack investment or it's very minimal in, turning out the Latino vote.
00:13:26:14 - 00:13:49:01
DINO
You know, Lydia, let's go back to you mentioned the US Senate nominee, James Taylor Rico. And, you know, he's caught the attention not only of of a lot of Texans, but indeed, much of the country with regard to one thing that stood out to me recently that I thought was, quite frankly, brilliant from a political, strategic perspective is him saying, look, I'm not interested in turning Texas blue.
00:13:49:02 - 00:14:07:18
DINO
He said, you know, I want to represent 31 million residents, including Democrats, Republicans and independents. And when you made reference to the fact that this is a man of strong faith, a man of the who often invokes his faith when on the campaign trail, how has the Latino community responded to that?
00:14:07:19 - 00:14:34:01
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Well, I don't think that, well, first of all, there's been a couple of really interesting polls, including one by Univision and another one by, to, to it's both Republicans and Democrats coming together and doing the poll. And in both cases, Talarico is ahead within the Latino community. Talarico is is at 6030 with 10% not sure how they're going to vote yet.
00:14:34:03 - 00:15:07:01
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
When you see that kind of split within the Latino community, you know, the Latinos are thinking about what I just said, which is, how is the U.S. Senate going to impact their lives at the local level? And ultimately, and they and Latinos are very sophisticated. Latino electorate is quite sophisticated. They know that if the U.S. Senate seat moves to the Republican column, I mean, to the Democratic column, there could likely be a shift across the United States with the one victory that, Texas gives them in order to take control.
00:15:07:03 - 00:15:42:17
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
They also understand that by taking control of the Senate and Congress, they can hold accountable the current administration that is outright attacking Latinos and passing policies, whether it's picking up folks through Ice and even killing of white vote white voters and, killing anybody that they feel like killing and stopping people in masks. All of those factors and and the fact that prices are so high everywhere, not only gas and food, but others housing, everything that's having an impact on how people own.
00:15:42:17 - 00:15:43:16
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
What are people are thinking?
00:15:43:18 - 00:16:26:04
DINO
Sure. My guest is Lydia Camarillo, president of Southwest Voter Registration Education Project with officers both in Texas and California. And our topic today is Texas the midterms power and the Latino vote. What's at stake for the nation. And we're discussing, you know, some of the key findings and some of the work that Lydia's operation, the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, has been elevating and highlighting about not only, the current campaigns going on in Texas, but particularly the, impact or the, the, the rise of this Latino voter demographic that is indeed more than ever before, seems to be suggesting that this may be a much more competitive environment.
00:16:26:06 - 00:16:45:03
DINO
And, you know, Lydia, we've heard this. I think you and I have had this conversation in the past. Just oftentimes you hear this idea, right? The idea that the Latino sleeping giant, I mean, like, that goes back, I think 20 years and over the years you've seen Latinos go into office and many of them turn out to be Republicans.
00:16:45:04 - 00:17:08:04
DINO
So that's not to suggest that just because they sleep in giant awakes, that you're automatically going to become a one persuasion or another. But, you know, one of the most striking numbers, that you recently shared about the Latino vote was that in 2024, Donald Trump made historic gains with Latinos, including in South Texas. Now we're seeing polling showing movement back towards Democrats.
00:17:08:06 - 00:17:33:23
DINO
What's changed? I know you highlighted finances. You've highlighted cost of living. You've highlighted the immigration issue. All of these factors are moving. But is that to suggest that there's an increase among Democratic or left leaning Latinos, or is that also to suggest that maybe Latinos who are conservative are saying, look, this is not what I signed up for.
00:17:34:01 - 00:18:04:07
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Well, Latinos that are conservative, which we know that every group there is not one single group of all the different electorates that, well, it's 100% one way or the other. But we do know that Latinos that are conservative in South Texas who might who might have voted in 2024 or voted in 2024 for Trump, are now angry. They understood that the promise that was going to be made was that prices, for food and gas was going to stay low, that they were going to keep their jobs.
00:18:04:07 - 00:18:23:17
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
But what difference does it make if you're having one job, two jobs for jobs? Stay your family and it's not working. And on top of that, you are promised that they're going to close the border and that your family is going to be fine because they're only going to pick up their so-called criminals. Well, what Latinos are seeing is that that's not the case.
00:18:23:17 - 00:18:59:22
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Or picking up any anybody and everybody that looks brown there. We're being profiled. The other thing that we need to remember is that 2024 was very interesting, because there's a there's an assessment that, Rio Grande, the valley, the majority of the Latino vote voted for Trump. That's not the case. In fact, if you look at the breakdown of the districts, 10% or 54,000 in the 28 district are white voters in the in the 30s, in the 23, it's 31%.
00:18:59:22 - 00:19:27:01
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
In the 15, it's 17%. There is, a lack of understanding that there are other voters in the Valley that are not necessarily Latino. And finally, I think that Latinos, for the most part in 2020 far, felt I work for the oil industry. I work for I work for ice. I work for, for the, other areas that they felt that if they stayed with Trump, they would keep their jobs.
00:19:27:01 - 00:19:48:10
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
That's not what they're thinking anymore. They're totally upset that they that the promise was made. They're only criminals. We're going to be picked up. They're realizing their wives and children and parents are being picked up. And that's made them angry. Compounded with the fact that prices are so expensive and we are in a war. And I don't want a war.
00:19:48:12 - 00:20:04:08
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
The the war. The thing about the war is that Latinos are very proud and they support the military. But you know what? They've never liked any wars. If you pull any poll that we've ever seen, Latinos do not like us intervening and being in wars.
00:20:04:09 - 00:20:32:12
DINO
Right. You know, I'm glad that you brought up this talk particularly about the, the the Valley. You know, there's a tendency in, in national politics to sometimes talk about the Latino vote as if it was a block. There's this issue, right, especially among Latinos as well. But non Latinos who see this as as one homogenous group. And oftentimes those of us that work some of these areas, we find ourselves screaming that, no, indeed we're not.
00:20:32:14 - 00:21:06:03
DINO
And in Texas, you know, what are the regional or generational differences we should understand, especially between you mentioned South Texas, but there's, of course, the major metros, there's the suburban communities. Then there is the far out fringe communities. How would you describe the generational, cultural, subcultural differences in Texas so that, for example, our audience here in L.A., sometimes I oftentimes find myself describing that while we are a large metropolis, you know, we still also have our own distinct backgrounds.
00:21:06:03 - 00:21:19:12
DINO
I mean, you know, when you hang out in South L.A. to the west side, to the Valley, you're literally looking at 20 different states, or some would even argue three different countries. Give us a description of what it's like in Texas when looking at these demographics.
00:21:19:13 - 00:21:45:20
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Well, I think you have some of that here in Texas. I don't think you mentioned that where California and Texas are our cousins sometimes we compete with each other, and I don't want to miss a point right now. And I'll come back to your point in a second. Sure. And the point is that in, when prop 27 passed in California, people wondered if Latinos were going to ever going to strike back and take back their state.
00:21:45:22 - 00:22:07:04
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Well, they did, and I think that that's where we are right now in Texas. We don't have a prop 187, but we have similar attacks in Texas. Texas doesn't have any propositions, so you can't point to that. And speaking of propositions, proposition 39 in California is a bad one that we need to be prepared for it. But back to Texas.
00:22:07:04 - 00:22:09:11
DINO
We'll come back to that one. Sure.
00:22:09:13 - 00:22:36:06
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Back to Texas. I think that we that's exactly where we are. But to your question about how diverse we are, the Texas rural area is the the communities, whether they're Latino or not, that are more conservative, but not as many Latinos turn out to vote in the rural areas, because people aren't investing in those communities that the white conservative voters are.
00:22:36:08 - 00:23:12:17
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
And so the urban communities like Dallas and Houston and San Antonio and even El Paso, and then part of the valley, there is very little investment to turn Latinos out. So Latinos are staying home at a number that they shouldn't be staying because they're not seeing the stakes at the level that they're seeing them now. Again, I think that the prices are one issue, and the second is the fact that they're now a freight, that not only they're going to be stopped and their families are going to be split and deported, but they might actually be killed.
00:23:12:19 - 00:23:33:22
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
The fact that we saw Ice kill white voters in a state where it's frankly very quiet, then what support is better, what can you expect in your own communities where all of us look brown and are brown and are feeling the attacks? So I think that that's I think is what makes it slightly different in terms of culture.
00:23:33:23 - 00:23:56:18
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Texas is very mexicano. Whether it's a first, second or third generation. San Antonio has, folks who have been here where the border crossed them rather than, than them crossing the border. That means that they've been here 13, 15 generations. And they have a different way of thinking, which is why, you see, some folks are thinking, yeah, we want to close the borders.
00:23:56:20 - 00:24:22:11
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
You know, we don't need that. But when you're talking about stopping people and separating people that have committed no crimes and are paying taxes, that's when you see the difference. Which is why I think also the Trump administration is not being as vocal in the way that they were originally starting off this year, attacking people in communities. They're being a little bit more subtle, although we hear that they're coming to San Antonio.
00:24:22:11 - 00:24:24:07
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
So let's see what that means.
00:24:24:09 - 00:24:47:07
DINO
Right? My guest is Lydia Camarillo, president of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project here on the signal. News, information and analysis in our special series, politics, Tacos and Beer, where today we're we're hanging out in Texas by way of, our phone lines and our our two guests. A little bit later on, Ramon Romero, junior, Texas state representative, district 90, chair of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus.
00:24:47:07 - 00:25:16:12
DINO
Intelligence will be joining us as well. Again, he'll join us very shortly. You know, Larry, I'm going to go off a little, little off script here because you brought up 187 and you know, I, I am of the persuasion that, we may indeed be going through our own version of 187, maybe even at the National level with regard to the, the, the persecution of migrants and other immigrants across the country, as you pointed out.
00:25:16:14 - 00:25:37:14
DINO
You know, when they started killing white folk in Middle America, I think, you know, again, white folk woke up and said, oh, wow. You know, and then really, I think, heightened the sensitivities that perhaps even some conservatives in the past have said, sure, you know, let's deport them. But come on, let's get real. The point I'm getting at is this 187 happened here in California.
00:25:37:16 - 00:26:13:14
DINO
It's political implications are still seen today. The Republican Party, some would argue or, you know, has become obsolete in California, lost a lot of its power, in part due to, 187 and the anti-immigrant Anti-latino and the subsequent persecution that came thereafter. Not was not the only factor, but certainly a big one. And I'd sometimes and, you know, the many folks that we interview and the many conversations that we have, I begun to convince myself that maybe this could indeed have a similar one.
00:26:13:14 - 00:26:24:07
DINO
87 proposition 187 California, affect I am, I am I weigh off on that.
00:26:24:09 - 00:26:30:09
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
You mean the what we saw in California with prop 187? What is that happening in Texas?
00:26:30:11 - 00:26:46:14
DINO
Not just Texas, but is the country going to react and the country. Yeah, it's going to be it's a country going to react in such a way that it might have not only implications for these midterm elections, but indeed longer term, implications on just the way we view immigration.
00:26:46:16 - 00:27:14:05
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Well, I think that, nationally, with this current administration wanting to send us all back because he was very clear when he, campaigned on the first round in 2016 that he didn't we were bad. But if move on, you say it that way to be to be kind to the way he framed all of us. Since then, I think there's been a political permission.
00:27:14:05 - 00:27:42:22
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Permission politically to be, anti-latino in a way that we hadn't seen before, except in the 30s, the 4750s. We're not seeing that, but we're seeing that again. In the 30s, 40s and 50s, there's just conversations about how, the Texas Rangers would lynch more Latinos than they did blacks, and they were killing. Well, I think we're back to that stage, for fear, that, they're losing ground.
00:27:42:22 - 00:28:12:04
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
And when I say they, I mean those that do not believe in a diverse community, not talking about all, white voters and all like white communities, I'm talking about those who do not want to see. And I think they now have permission to to attack, communities in ways Latinos particular in ways that we hadn't seen before, except for in the early times when I thought we had already won, or that the erosion of the voting Rights Act is not helping us.
00:28:12:06 - 00:28:36:00
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
We are seeing, that there's both organized efforts to stop Latinos and other communities from voting, but there's also an organized, efforts. And when I say an efforts, I mean, when you show up to the polls and you're being told because you're brown or they know how you voted in the primary because they could see that you voted in the primaries in Texas, you don't have affiliations.
00:28:36:00 - 00:28:58:05
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
You don't say, I'm a registered party for this or that, or independent or whatever. You just, register to vote. And then in the primaries, when you have to declare which party ballot do you want? Well, they can see where you vote. Well, I know that every time I go vote and this happens not only to me but to others, I'm being told that I'm not registered to vote and therefore, I'm asked to leave.
00:28:58:05 - 00:29:29:20
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
And of course, I know better because it's what I do for a living. And so that's what I mean about unorganized efforts. There is an attempt to stop Latinos from voting with a very organized effort, with all the different, laws that they're passing across various states, including states where you wouldn't think that this is an issue. And like I said, in California, we're about to see prop 37, which is I mean, I'm sorry, proposition 39, which is a voter ID ballot that's going to be in our on your ballot this cycle this November.
00:29:29:22 - 00:29:41:09
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
So we have to be prepared to understand that there is a movement to stop Latinos, black and other communities from voting. And we have to be organized and organized and prepared for the worst.
00:29:41:13 - 00:29:56:11
DINO
So just to be clear, you said that, there are some instances being reported in which somebody goes to the voting poll or booth and they're being told you're not registered, when indeed they likely are. Was that it? Was that what I heard you describe?
00:29:56:13 - 00:29:59:07
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Yeah, that's happened to me personally and other.
00:29:59:09 - 00:29:59:16
DINO
So.
00:29:59:16 - 00:30:03:16
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Personally. And it happens all the time. Right.
00:30:03:18 - 00:30:27:09
DINO
Well, so Lydia, can you stay with us? We're going to take a quick break. And we're going to also invite our next guest, state representative, Ramon Romero, jr, Texas state representative for district 90, chair of Mexican-American Legislative Caucus. Folks, stay with us. We'll continue this conversation with, Texas, the midterms power and the Latino vote.
00:30:27:09 - 00:30:30:00
DINO
What's at stake for the nation? We'll be right back.
00:30:30:00 - 00:31:00:14
DINO
Welcome back. I'm your host, Dino, and you're listening to The Signal news, information and analysis here on Kpfk Los Angeles. So, you know, we've been having this conversation around Texas, the midterms, power and the Latino vote. What's at stake for the nation. And, you know, our first guest, Olivia Camarillo, from the president of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, has been giving us a a taste of the political landscape that is Texas right now.
00:31:00:14 - 00:31:30:15
DINO
And we've been on this topic. We've covered it before because, well, Texas is is going to be key to the politics of this country in the next several weeks. Indeed. In the next several years, as we look at what some are arguing is a significant, possibly a significant shift in the state, as it continues to transition per the rise of Latino voters, the discontent of some of the key issues that are happening.
00:31:30:17 - 00:32:00:15
DINO
You know, we're less than two months away from the November midterm elections. And ultimately, what will likely be the control of Congress, which is on the line, and the likelihood that as far as, many analysts are concerned, Republicans will indeed lose control of Congress across the country, both parties are looking at a relatively small number of races that could determine who controls Washington for the final two years of the current administration's tenure.
00:32:00:17 - 00:32:38:21
DINO
But today, we're spending the hour talking about Texas, discussing the politics, because for years, the political question around Texas has been almost ritualistic. Right? Is this finally the election when the state becomes truly competitive? Usually the answer has been no. Republicans have continued to win statewide for decades, while Democrats have pointed to a demographic shift urban growth, expanding Latino electorate as evidenced by the political ground underneath Texas, is evidence that the political ground underneath Texas is indeed moving.
00:32:38:23 - 00:33:12:11
DINO
This year, however, the conversation is different. New polling shows major movement among Latinos, among Latino voters in particular, including voters who moved towards Donald Trump in 2024 that are now we shift. And again, the economy, the cost of living remains central. Immigration and the administration's enforcement policies are also shaping the electorate. And Texas is home to congressional districts, a US Senate contest and a governor's race that are all forcing both parties to think seriously about what Latino voters may do in November.
00:33:12:13 - 00:33:32:03
DINO
And that is why Texas continues to be on the mind of many. And indeed, this program we have now covered this issue, this state, I think, twice. And during this election cycle. And I want to thank my guests. Lee, the camera from the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, who, has been key to this analysis for us over the years.
00:33:32:05 - 00:34:12:01
DINO
But I also now want to welcome my next guest, Texas state representative, for the district 90, chair of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus. Ramon Romero Jr, who is in the state legislature, legislature, and, you know, representative, we we spent the first half of the program setting the Texas political landscape with leading Amarillo. And, you know, we're looking at the movement, that we're seeing among Latino voters the pressure points and in the midterms and the question whether Texas and entering a genuinely different political, move moment.
00:34:12:01 - 00:34:22:04
DINO
And we want to welcome you to the show and get your perspective, on these issues. State Representative Romero, welcome to the Signal, brother.
00:34:22:05 - 00:34:23:14
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
Beyond. Thank you for having me.
00:34:23:16 - 00:34:42:04
DINO
So, as I said, we opened up the first hall. We're talking about the numbers now where you sit in elected office in Texas as an elected official. You know, what does the political climate on the ground feel like? Is this a competitive, a competitive state? Now, as many polls are suggesting?
00:34:42:06 - 00:35:10:03
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
Yeah, I think that we've got, a lot of excitement on the ground in communities throughout Texas, especially South Texas, North Texas, Houston. But, you know, I really want to zero in on south Texas, where they have felt the brunt of, let's call it border security, increase in funding from both the state and the feds, lots of jobs being created.
00:35:10:05 - 00:35:28:10
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
CBP, Ice, Department of Public Safety, lots of jobs. So for a long time, because of the jobs being created and sort of the crisis on the other side of the border that everybody could see first hand. You know, it's not like the border. They're at the point where it's, you know, it's kind of far away from most.
00:35:28:10 - 00:35:49:03
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
It's very tight. The border is so long. And Texas, you can make any town. There's a lot of frustration with the Biden administration. And then at the same time, lots of jobs being created by the Republican Party. So there there's a lot of benefit of the doubt, for Donald Trump. And I believe that's why so many people went ahead and said, look, I we're going to vote for Donald Trump.
00:35:49:03 - 00:36:19:05
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
And they the Republican Party really, really kind of use that as a stake in the ground and saying, look, we have won the Latino vote. But as I just said over and over again, you know, no one will know this, but of course, this is not right. They did brainwash us, but no longer, because now we're seeing the repercussions, of President Trump's inability, to to get the economy, back in line where we struggled with inflation with Biden.
00:36:19:07 - 00:36:46:04
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
Now we're seeing businesses close the immigration enforcement has really shut down the border, and folks are so frustrated. On top of that, you have a dynamic, incredible candidate, a Jamestown article. Yeah. And Gina, you know, also who's from Cameron County. So I think that you have the perfect recipe. The bomb is going to explode. And this is one more point and I'm getting a.
00:36:46:04 - 00:36:48:11
DINO
Little long here. No, no, no, please take your time.
00:36:48:13 - 00:37:19:02
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
But so one of the things that I really have tried to demonstrate to the Latino community after redistricting, when we left the House for Chicago, for Illinois, when we refused to make quorum is House members to allow them this gerrymandering, which, thank God California did what it did to offset what Texas did. Sure, it was intentionally punishing Latinos for voting for Trump, but not voting for the down ballot congressional candidates.
00:37:19:04 - 00:37:44:07
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
And they were trying to take away our candidates that we supported for a very long time. That that is one thing that I said to to folks that the statewide are not going to be able to get away with it, maybe the House members, but the statewide, the governor that allowed this to happen. So you got folks that get for a long time have been telling the Latino community, you know, nobody owns you, the Democratic Party, the Republican Party.
00:37:44:07 - 00:38:14:17
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
So we've been a 5050 group in Texas. That's why nobody invest in the Latino community. While the like, the Anglo community had always voted 75%, 70% for the Republican Party, African-American community votes 85 to 90% for the Democratic Party. And here we sit at 5050. We're not a safe bet. But what we're seeing in the primaries is about a 75 to 80% Latino for Democrats.
00:38:14:19 - 00:38:37:22
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
That is going to be something that no party can overcome. And I hope that the Democratic Party, if we are able to get over the line in a gubernatorial race in the in the in the U.S. Senate race, this is something that won't be forgotten, in Texas for a very long time. It's going to be a dynamic shift, that so many of us have been waiting for, for so long, over 30 years now.
00:38:38:00 - 00:39:07:10
DINO
And so joining us is Texas state representative Raymond Romero junior. He represents House district 90, in Fort Worth and chairs the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus in the Texas House. And Representative Romero. If Latino turnout rises meaningfully in November, you know, and you're kind of touching on this in terms of what are the potential changes not only in Texas, but ultimately in the battle for Congress and the national political map, you know, paints a picture.
00:39:07:10 - 00:39:28:07
DINO
What does that change immediately look like? I mean, what are we looking at in terms of local implications? And by local, I mean at the state level. And what could that look like at the national level, provided that there's significant wins enough to where the House and the Senate are taken control by the Democrats?
00:39:28:09 - 00:39:55:15
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
Well, first, I'll start with Texas. Texas has spent $12 billion on the border doing ice and immigration enforcement, $12 billion. That's for every border surge that we have that we've supported the federal government because our governor wants to pretend like he's president. That's a lot of money that could go to so many other, needs we have in the state of Texas.
00:39:55:20 - 00:40:33:15
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
And that doesn't include DPS. That doesn't include jailing, that doesn't include all of the other the other expenses that we have to state. So that's the first thing to think about. There's a lot of colluding with the feds, to 280, 70 programs that no longer, is going to continue to, to move forward. Now, if you mean a horse, when, you know, the, you know, the gubernatorial race, we might, for the first time, see, the state of Texas expand Medicaid and have, you know, not continue to be that one state leading the nation in the most uninsured, you know, Texans and especially uninsured children, which makes a big difference
00:40:33:15 - 00:40:54:14
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
in people's lives. And, look, Texas has been a great place to do business, but we've been seeing people leave Texas. Everyone who likes to talk about people who are leaving California for Texas right now, people are leaving Texas for California because at least they feel like the state isn't pursuing them. Right. And I think that that's something that people that don't want to leave the place that they love, we love being this close to the border.
00:40:54:14 - 00:41:21:20
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
We love getting really close to, you know, to, to to the road trip to affect us in some ways and places that we know and still have connections with. But on a national level, look, we there's different counties around Texas, specifically from Tennant County. Steve Bannon himself said, if Tarrant County goes blue and Texas goes blue and the nation goes blue, and as a nation, as Texas goes, the really the world goes.
00:41:21:22 - 00:41:54:23
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
And I think that it's a really important time, I think of California, you know, think of prop 187 and Governor Wilson, all of us from Texas were paying attention to what happened in California after that. You never turned back. But I hope that President Trump's presidency and the attacks on the Latino community, his ignorance of not knowing us and not knowing what's important to us in our families is something that Texas never turns back from, just as California getting back.
00:41:55:01 - 00:42:28:13
DINO
Well, you know, it's funny you mentioned that just before you joined us. Representative, I was actually talking to our other guest. We're still on the line. Lydia, I want to bring you back into this because I think, you know, the representative is touching on this issue that I mentioned earlier. I, I, I proposed the idea that maybe, we may very well be seeing a similar effect as what 187 did to color for Indians who eventually help make, many parts of the state obsolete for Republicans, at least some of us are hopeful that that might be the case at a more national or.
00:42:28:13 - 00:43:03:18
DINO
And this case, regional level, as the attacks and persecution of migrants and immigrants continues. But one of the things that, Representative Romero, that Lydia Camarillo from the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project just brought up, as we were talking about some of the challenges, particularly at the voting polls and folks having access to cast their vote. You know, she described instances to herself, precisely herself, actually, in which when going to the polls, going to the polls, she's told, well, no, you're not registered when indeed she knows very well that she is.
00:43:03:21 - 00:43:28:01
DINO
So as if to suggest that maybe there is a continued, you know, a diverse effort to hold people back from voting. Lydia, what do you see are the biggest challenges when it comes down to. And I know we we touched on this earlier with regard to folks being scared to go out. Continued persecution. What do you see are going to be the biggest challenges this November?
00:43:28:03 - 00:43:32:13
DINO
And what should the state representative be looking out for?
00:43:32:15 - 00:43:57:15
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Well, first, let me thank the art chair, the chair of, Mark for all the work that he's done and continues to do. And and thank you, Dino, for having this conversation. I think that, Texas can and will be deciding the future nationally because the US Senate seat has implications for a full control of the House.
00:43:57:15 - 00:44:18:08
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
If Texas takes, moves from a Republican to a Democrat. And I said it's an open seat. And that's what makes it quite interesting. But it's not going to happen without investment. It's not going to happen unless everybody gets to work. And turns out the Latino vote. We cannot continue to expect. This is what happens all the time.
00:44:18:08 - 00:44:41:09
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
In my experience in Texas, in other states, the criticism that Latinos aren't voting at the level that they should be voting in. And I remind them, well, how much money did you spend turning out the voters? Money is spent on, the swing white vote on white women and on the black vote. But nothing, if anything, except for those of us that are working on this are spending money.
00:44:41:09 - 00:45:11:18
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Texas is the second largest state in the union with the second largest number of registered voters. Period. And yet, everybody refuses to invest in the resources that account once this that, Texas this cycle. Well, Latino voters will be part of the deciding the difference between what will happen for the US Senate and the governor's race and down ballot for not only the congressional seat, but the state Senate seat, where, Mr. Romero sat, and also, the House seats.
00:45:11:18 - 00:45:39:14
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
There's 14 House seats that can changes. And those House seats are important because they're going to be deciding the future of the redistricting that's going to happen next cycle. Because if Abbott continues to win, we're going to go through this experience again, even if in all the seven seats that are being challenged right now, Latinos take them back, because I mix in all of them except for 33 in Dallas are being run and could possibly be by a Latino vote, Latino member who will become a member.
00:45:39:16 - 00:45:58:22
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
So those are the kinds of things that I think we need to be prepared for and worry about. And as I mentioned in 20 2031, Texas will gain four new congressional seats. So we have to be ready for all of that. But it cannot happen without investment. And so I think that's the first ask that I see are the challenge.
00:45:58:22 - 00:46:22:01
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
The second challenge is, this state is a superstar of voter suppression. It's we have fought over and over again on laws that impede us from voting, that block us from voting. I find ways, readiness, and as I was saying in the in the first session of your of your program, there isn't an organized effort. I'm not the only one that experiences what I shared.
00:46:22:03 - 00:46:41:23
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
I've had a woman call me one time and say, you are registered in each other's voter registers, registered me to vote, but they told me that you, you, you you did it, way after the deadline. And therefore I cannot vote in this election. Sure enough, I come to find out that this person was registered in August. The deadline is October 5th.
00:46:42:01 - 00:46:56:15
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
People are being lied to organically, and and and, very organized. I don't know if they got a memo or not, but that there is an attempt to stop us from voting. There's an attempt to stop us from voting because they see that drawing on the board.
00:46:56:18 - 00:47:23:07
DINO
Sure, sure. Chairman Romero, so on this issue, how do we mitigate this? How do you all mitigate this? In a state that has historically sought to persecute, alter and if, if not outright remove the rights of individuals from something as simple as democratic that's constitutionally awarded as voting, what is the state doing? To try and mitigate this issue?
00:47:23:09 - 00:47:46:10
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
Well, I wish I could give you some answer that people want to hear. And and the bottom line is the state's not doing anything. The state's going to continue to do more and more to, to work against us. And even with great groups like Lilia, maria's group and Southwest Voter Registration Education Project. Look, the, the attacks are coming in every direction.
00:47:46:12 - 00:48:09:02
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
He has flooded the zone. They have done everything. There's an attack every day. All the groups that are out there supporting the people. I have their hands full. Everybody where they're supporting those that are in and detention centers and voter suppression and intimidation and chilling the vote. All of the above. But if it's time for us to I'm sorry to say this, like, get off your ass.
00:48:09:03 - 00:48:39:21
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
Everybody else that doesn't have these issues, sure enough, is enough. Everybody who sits back and still says, well, I'm not into politics. You're the reason why you're our leaders are getting suppressed. You're the reason why you're our leaders are are getting intimidated because, you know, it's just a matter of getting it done. We shouldn't wait till the last two months or three months before, registering to vote.
00:48:39:23 - 00:48:59:04
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
We should recognize that in the state of Texas, they're going to do everything at the last minute to remove us from the voting rolls. Just a couple of weeks ago, they put 1.2 million people under suspension list because they suspect that they may not live in the house where they actually were registered to vote.
00:48:59:06 - 00:49:02:17
DINO
Say that number again. Representative, how many?
00:49:02:19 - 00:49:24:06
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
1.2 million people was put on the suspension list because they believe that you may or may not live in the same place where you registered to vote, and and therefore you're going to come in, they're going to harass you. You were put on the suspension list. Maybe that's enough frustration for you to walk away. And we have to say, I mean motive putting it together.
00:49:24:06 - 00:49:37:14
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
Well what are your well with that, you know, and that's what I'm going to do. And you're going to have to run me off and I'm going to hold up this line, and everybody out here is going to wait behind me, and the people behind them are going to go, yeah, we're going to wait to none of this shit.
00:49:37:15 - 00:50:05:09
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
We're leaving. We have to stop the thing that is a thing, right? Right. We have to be willing to fight it. You know what? I can tell you in Tarrant County, where I'm from, we just won a Texas Senate seat. We flipped. We switched it 31 points in a special election, a seat that we've never won before, that we've been losing by 14, 17 points.
00:50:05:11 - 00:50:29:11
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
And now we one minute we switched to 31 points. What happened? The major Latino seat, the major Latino precinct in my district, there were young kids waiting till 1130 at night. Wow. 4.5 hours after the polls closed, celebrating and demanding. I'm going to stay until the line put. Please put the end of the line sign way behind me.
00:50:29:16 - 00:50:32:02
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
I don't care if it's a mile long, that's what it's going to take.
00:50:32:06 - 00:50:33:02
DINO
That's right.
00:50:33:04 - 00:50:56:18
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
No excuses. And our community's not okay. I mean, literally killed none of that. We have to demand that this is our time because we understand all the persecution. We understand all the oppression. We understand all the suppression. We are going to overcome all of that. And that's why it's incumbent on all of us just to not let anybody make any more excuses.
00:50:56:20 - 00:51:24:00
DINO
Which brings me to our our final minutes, with you both. And, you know, one of the things that I've actually been asked this before when when covering issues outside of the state, we are somewhat of a local news program here in the LA market, but I often times say, you know, what's happening in other places have a lot more, implication on what happens here at home more than the some of our audience oftentimes, wants to accept.
00:51:24:05 - 00:51:48:09
DINO
So with that, let's make that our last questions for both of you and my guests. Again, Olivia Camarillo, president of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and, state representative, Romero, who is the Texas state representative, Ramon Romero, who is also the chairman of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, Texas House and chairman. I'll close out with you.
00:51:48:14 - 00:52:03:11
DINO
Before I go to you. Lydia was let our audience know why this political issue in Texas, far away from here is important to the audience here in Los Angeles, in Southern California.
00:52:03:13 - 00:52:28:22
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
We can't do anything without controlling the checks and balances that are needed within our democracy. I don't believe that democracy ever works when one party has full control as the the way we've experienced here in Texas. We have to get back, to to the place where we negotiate, where we fight, where we actually can debate with one another.
00:52:29:00 - 00:52:48:21
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
And it's going to take, some of the things that have happened in California already all over the, you know, here, here in Texas to, to to put a president like Donald Trump in check and make sure that we never end up with the president, like, like him again. So what I know about Californians is all of you all know somebody from Texas.
00:52:48:21 - 00:53:03:17
RAMÓN ROMERO JR.
So call them, you know, that we live with the so that you take part in this election process because we need you in California because as Texas goes, the country goes, and you can support the entire nation by the turnout here in Texas.
00:53:03:20 - 00:53:19:23
DINO
And, Lydia, I'll go to you for the your closing comment on why. And as somebody who also has offices here in Los Angeles, I'm sure that, there's a lot more there. But give it to me in a one minute. Reminder to our audience, why is Texas politics relevant here?
00:53:20:01 - 00:53:46:08
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
It's it's relevant because, the implications of what happens in Texas has national implications. And we have to hold, the current government accountable. And the Latino community has to be part of that. There is not going to be a blue wave. It's going to be a brown wave. But we have to be up at the front. And congratulations to the future governor of California, which will be the first Latino governor since 1875.
00:53:46:10 - 00:53:48:11
LYDIA CAMARiLLO
Can Texas do the same thing?
00:53:48:13 - 00:54:19:05
DINO
And with that, I want to I want to thank both Lydia Camarillo and State Representative Jamon Romero Jr for the, great analysis and contributions to this program and better understanding not only what's happening in Texas, but literally the country as a whole. I want to thank you both for being with us, and I want to close out with the following folks, and that's that, you know, really the question we're leaving with today, not whether Texas suddenly becomes blue or red, but whether the political assumptions that have defined the state for a generation are starting to break down.
00:54:19:07 - 00:54:42:18
DINO
Latino voters are central to that story, not because they're moving together as a single bloc. The more important story may be the opposite Latino voters are behaving like competitive voters. They're moving. They're comparing. They're judging. They're they're taking notice of the economy, the cost of living, immigration enforcement, political leadership, and whether either party is actually speaking to their lives.
00:54:42:22 - 00:55:07:10
DINO
That makes Texas important well beyond Texas, because it is the coalition that moved towards Donald Trump in 2024. Since they are already shifting in 2026, the neither party gets to claim Latino voters as permanent political property. Republicans have to prove their gains were more than a moment. Democrats have to prove that they can earn back voters they lost.
00:55:07:14 - 00:55:34:06
DINO
Now simply assume they'll return. And in the midterm election, where control of Congress may come down to a handful of districts, moving Latino voters in one part or another in Texas could matter. Beyond Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley. It could help determine who holds power in Washington. And in the final two years of this incredible this absolute, horrible administration, this matters.
00:55:34:08 - 00:55:52:07
DINO
Texas, the midterms power and the Latino vote is what's at stake for the nation. And with that, I want to thank everybody for tuning in for this other UPS, for this episode of The Signal. I'm your host, Tina. I want to thank our team, our engineers, OSI producer Nela, and all the other support staff. Thanks for being with us.
00:55:52:07 - 00:56:05:20
DINO
We'll be back next week on a quick programing note, and, we'll be returning to our politics. Tacos and beer. Thank you all for being with us. We'll see you next week.
00:56:05:22 - 00:56:11:20
MUSIC INTRO
Coming up.
00:56:11:22 - 00:56:14:15
MUSIC INTRO
I.
00:56:14:17 - 00:56:19:10
MUSIC INTRO
I'm not just the American government.
00:56:19:12 - 00:56:30:07
MUSIC INTRO
But government in general. Ideas live from from. I'm not saying you're.
00:56:30:09 - 00:56:32:05
MUSIC INTRO
Senator Bob Johnson, and.
00:56:32:05 - 00:56:34:18
MUSIC INTRO
I said I don't yet have an inside.
