Eva Longoria Endorses Catherine Cortez Masto: Could She Be America’s First Latina Senator?

Actor and political activist Eva Longoria formally endorsed Catherine Cortez Masto in her bid for the seat outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. Longoria’s support comes part-and-parcel with that of the Latino Victory Fund, a nonpartisan political fundraising group that supports Hispanic candidates. Masto, the state’s former attorney general and a Democrat, is backed by Reid. Longoria touts her as “tough,” “fair,” and “the right person for the job.” Longoria and the Latino Victory Fund point out that a Cortez Masto win in November would be a “milestone” for Latino politics.

“It’s time we send the first woman from Nevada – and the very first Latina – to the Senate,” Longoria said in a statement on Wednesday, according to Fox News Latino, also mentioning that “Catherine has proven that she will fight for Nevadans, and I’m certain that in the Senate, she will fight not only for Latino families, but for all families throughout the country.”

But there’s another Latina who is also running for Senate who could potentially win. California Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is currently challenging fellow a Democrat, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, for outgoing Senator Barbara Boxer’s seat.

“I think we need a Latina in the U.S. Senate,” Sanchez said bluntly to the Sacramento Bee on January 20, stressing her personal experience as an immigrant, not just a Latina. “You get a United States senator to stand up and say something, all of a sudden the world hears.”

Yet Sanchez has not won the financial backing of the Latino Victory Project or the endorsement of Longoria. They are reportedly considering backing former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Back in Nevada, Cortez Masto’s opponent, Joe Heck, a business owner and a Republican, is largely running against Reid and Obama’s records. His campaign has portrayed him as an underdog in the area of fundraising.

"Despite a three-month head start and the backing of the Obama-Reid money machine, we're leading in cash on hand since Dr. Joe Heck entered the race by nearly $900,000," a spokesman for Heck's campaign told the Review Journal earlier this month. "After 30 years of Harry Reid, Nevadans are ready for real leadership in Washington, D.C."

Reid’s last senate race in 2010 was extremely close, and the Latino vote helped him win the race. He has since championed issues such as immigration reform, and served as a mentor to up-and-coming Latino candidates staffers.

To win, Cortez Masto will have to ride on Reid’s legacy, and maximize gains from the increased turnout among Democrats during presidential election years. On Thursday, Feb. 11, Masto endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. Villaraigosa and Sanchez endorsed Clinton shortly after the 2012 presidential race.