Congressional Hispanic Caucus to Change Leadership as it Looks to Rethink Messaging to Latino Voters

Donald Trump's victory over Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential elections is poised to be analyzed time and time again during the next few weeks, as many try to nitpick the numbers behind a race that looked much closer than it turned out to be just weeks before November 5.

Many are pointing to a major gender gap among voters, as 54% of men voted Trump, including 49% of young men (aged 18-29). But the most mentioned difference-maker by far has been the Latino vote as, even though Democrats still retained the majority within the demographic, Trump made major strides, amassing around 45% of the vote compared to Harris' 53%, a 13-point increase and a record high for a Republican presidential nominee.

In the aftermath, Democrats are taking the opportunity to do some soul searching. The day after the victory, Bernie Sanders teared into the party for "abandoning" the working class: "while the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change.

But perhaps one of the biggest focuses for the party going forward will be on The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) which is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Latinos in the United States. For starters, the CHC is set to change leadership as Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) is running unopposed to succeed outgoing CHC Chair Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), positioning him to lead the caucus

Espaillat, a Dominican-born Afro-Latino, has advocated for immigrant rights and has often pushed for stronger pro-immigrant policies within the Democratic Party, as The Hill reports. As the next chair, he will likely focus on building a stronger economic message and responding to Latino voters' concerns, particularly around the rising cost of living—a central issue in the last election.

However, the upcoming period for the caucus will be defined by much more than its leadership. Espaillat and other CHC members agree that moving forward, the caucus must improve its messaging, especially to Hispanic men, a demographic with which vice-president Harris struggled with during the entire campaign, leading to a 10-point Trump lead among them in the final tally.

"There's a lot of work we've got to do," Barragán told Punchbowl News. "We've got to continue engagement. We got to take people seriously. Frankly, a lot of it is how people feel. It's how people feel and us having to listen."

To flip the script, Punchbowl News also repots that the CHC's campaign arm BOLD PAC celebrated adding six new Hispanic members to their ranks, besides holding on to most of their vulnerable incumbents. BOLD PAC transferred $6.15 million for independent expenditures to support incumbents and candidates — the largest investment ever made by the group.