Commenter Jackie shared some uplifting information about a Republican – U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales from TX-23, who is apparently leaving Squeaker and the TX republican party with a bad case of heartburn. She also mentioned a U.S. Representative from FL-27, who is pushing back against anti-immigration rhetoric in the House. Both are Latino members of the House.
As more Latinos are elected, I am looking forward to seeing their impact.
Comment from Jackie:
”Republican U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, who represents West Texas regions from Monahans to El Paso and to San Antonio, was censured Saturday in a rare move by his state party over votes that included supporting new gun safety laws after the Uvalde school shooting in his district.
The Republican Party of Texas voted 57-5 with one abstention, underlining how the two-term congressman’s willingness to break with conservatives on key issues during his short time in office has caused GOP activists and some colleagues to bristle.
That independent streak includes opposing a sweeping House GOP immigration proposal over the U.S.-Mexico border, which includes a large portion of his South Texas district. He has also voted to defend same-sex marriage and was an outright “no” against a House rules package after Republican leader Kevin McCarthy became speaker.”
Second comment from Jackie:
“Rep. Tony Gonzales’ Republican colleague from Florida, Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, has also decried the anti-immigration rhetoric Republicans have used as they champion that bill from Rep. Chip Roy of Texas. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Salazar said, “We understand that immigrants want to come and live in the promised land.” Referring to her Miami-area district, Salazar said, “Orderly legal immigration is good for the country and good for District 27.”
“Roy has called the two members’ concerns about his bill “absurd,” but with Republicans holding such a slim majority in the House, the pushback from these two Latino members is significant. The question is whether Gonzales and Salazar will stick to their principles or fold.
*That pressure to fold will clearly come from Roy and other MAGA Republicans who appear to believe Latino Republicans lack real power and are not to be taken seriously. Republicans like to use the elections of representatives such as Gonzales and Salazar to brag about the party’s diversity, but Roy’s insulting dismissal of their concerns suggests that Republicans don’t intend to actually listen to those Latino members.
But give Gonzales and Salazar credit for trying to fight back within their own party.”
*Gee, that’s not insulting at all. Dear Latino Republicans, come on over to the big tent party.
At least there are a couple of Republican representative in the House who aren’t rolling over on everything. It seems that all the Rs in the House that only voted for the Squeaker on vote #15 got all the horrible things they wanted, so they are keeping their mouths shut for now.
Open thread.
Betty Cracker
Well, good for them for not being as monstrous as 99.99% of their colleagues, but Rep. Salazar of Florida went on TV to make excuses for Ron DeSantis’s cruel stunt in Martha’s Vineyard and constantly and cynically conflates Democratic policy proposals with communism, so fuck her.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
WG, if you’re around, do the postcards for the SD-8 and Wis Supreme Court need to be written in Spanish? I remember you mentioning it in a post, I think
Baud
Yeah, but some small number of liberal organizations not affiliated with the Democratic Party use LatinX, so both sides.
BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️
@Betty Cracker: What Betty said.
Also, just wanted to say, Betty, that I LOVE that you have taken a blowtorch to these fools.
lowtechcyclist
Damn, my hopes were up for a moment there.
WaterGirl
@Betty Cracker: I did not know that. Fuck her, indeed.
But I’ll still take her vote against other bad stuff.
WaterGirl
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): SD-8 postcards are in English.
Supreme Court postcards are in English, unless you request the Latino addresses that need the postcards in Spanish.
Betty Cracker
@BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️: The “Dems are commies” refrain is particularly maddening to me because it seems to work so well in Florida. I’m mad at the lying shitbag politicians who use it, and I’m sick of the ignorant-ass voters who fall for it every time. It’s not smart for a politician to criticize voter blocs, but I’m not a politician, so I can say get a fucking clue, you morons!
@WaterGirl: Absolutely!
WaterGirl
@lowtechcyclist: Didn’t mean to get anyone’s hopes up! I reworded that sentence so no one else’s hopes get raised and then dashed in the span of a single sentence.
Baud
@Betty Cracker:
Now that’s a rotating tag.
Almost Retired
According to the LA Times, the Texas Republican party is threatening to a recruit a primary candidate more in line with their “values.” Please proceed, lunatics.
The District ain’t that safe! It’s 2/3 Latino, although South Texas is a very different animal than South Florida and California.
But still. Seems like a pick up opportunity in 2024 if the Republicans follow through with their threat to dig deeper into the DSM-V to find a primary candidate.
BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️
@Betty Cracker: Well, “Dems are commies” is a staple across the entirety of the Old (?!) Confederacy, but yes, I’m pissed about it too!!
I also think that the voters have no thought processes
these daysever other than “own the libs.”cain
@Betty Cracker: She must have relatives that are pestering her and making a lot of angry noises in regards to the rhetoric. It’s hard not to take that shit personally if you’re a first or second generation latino.
Scout211
Is this accurate? I couldn’t find anything that said he was leaving the GOP. The Texas GOP has censured him, which then bars him from using their funds for the primary. But I am not sure he has left the party. link?
ETA: Never mind. That sentence was edited while I was off doing a search.
Geminid
@Almost Retired: Gonzales may well survive a primary challenge from the right. I expect that district Democrats will field a strong candidate regardless of who the Republican candidate is.
Eunicecycle
Our new Democratic representative from OH-13, Emilia Sykes, that the jackals supported (thanks!) is already being targeted by the right. There’s a despicable commercial running here that says that Joe Biden is making cuts in Medicare funding and Emilia Sykes is SILENT! Of course it’s a lie; I mean about Joe cutting Medicare. Of course Emilia is silent because it’s not happening. But just a heads-up that the 2024 campaign is underway!
Scout211
Actor Ben Savage has announced he is running for Rep. Adam Schiff’s seat in SoCal. ::rolls eyes::
He already has some competition.
Geminid
@Eunicecycle: Ohio Republicans may also try to redraw Sykes’ 13th CD in a new round of gerrymandering this year.
They could also target Marcy Kaptur (OH 10) and/or Greg Landsman (OH 1).
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@WaterGirl:
Okie doke, thanks WG!
WaterGirl
@Baud: Ask and you shall receive. done!
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Scout211: I’m waiting to see if Topanga announces before I decide…
WaterGirl
@Scout211: Yes, I never said he was leaving the party.
The leaving the party part was separated – by a comma – from the words that made it clear that he was leaving the party with heartburn.
So i rephrased the sentence.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@WaterGirl: It’s nice to know there’s somewhere I can go if the first thing I wanted is to be personally insulted by an algorithm.
WaterGirl
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Fair point.
I changed it to:
Is that better?
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@WaterGirl: Haha that ain’t the only insult loaded into the chamber. Doesn’t bother me, I find it funny.
Your edit still works, though.
Geminid
@Scout211:I’ve read that there will also be a spirited contest among Democrats to replace Katie Porter in the 57th CD. One of the announced candidates is Harley Rouda, who represented parts of the district 2019-2021. Rouda declined to challenge Porter last year after redistricting. Porter has already endorsed State Senator David Min(sp?) in this race. The Republican who lost to Porter by 3 points last year is running also.
RaflW
One more Republican who can rub two brain cells together:
@HeartlandSignal · Mar 6
MO State Rep. Phil Christofanelli (R) criticizes fellow GOP Rep. Ann Kelley’s anti-LGBT school bill.
PC: Who is Martha Washington?
AK: [George Washington’s] wife.
PC: With your bill, how could that be mentioned in the classroom?
AK: That’s not sexual orientation.
PC: Really?
Video at (chirp chirp) link.
gvg
The hispanic Americans are currently pushing back at everyone else’s tendency to assume they have common interests, but they are overlooking a few things. There is strength in numbers and weakness in divisions. They could get more by banding together for at least some issues that they hold in common and after that do some horsetrading and agree to help each other when is doesn’t hurt. In other words if your constituents are indifferent to cause b, but other rep helped you get your first priority, you should help him get his priority.
The other thing they are overlooking is that the most serious bigots lump them all together and you really can’t stand alone. That 6th generation hispanic looking Americans and brand new did everything legal citizens can find themselves hurt by people and laws supposedly about illegal immigrants. Not only do they need more power to protect and do good, they need to gather respect and good press frequently and over a long time. Also sue Trump and Fox into oblivion, please.
They can teach us about the differences between Cuban, Argentinian, Spanish etc. from within a coalition IMO. Political power matters, especially right now.
Betty Cracker
@RaflW: “Lady, I didn’t introduce your bill!” LOL!
raven
@RaflW: Your jackets are up.
Scott
Gonzales is one district over from me. I’m stuck with Roy. Guarantee this will probably make Gonzales bullet proof in his district. My fantasy is that Gonzales will be the first to make a motion to vacate on McCarthy. But I’m sure that is a fantasy.
Soprano2
I saw George Will wrote yet another column about the dangers of “wokeness”, once again citing something Stanford did a few months ago and an article in the NY Times about how not many Latin people actually like the term “Latinx”. The fact that he can find so few real examples of this kind of thing should suggest to him that it’s actually not much of a threat, but he seems to believe that whatever some Stanford board does will affect all of America.
On another note, I went to a “40 under 40” banquet last night, which honored 40 up and coming professionals under the age of 40 in Springfield (I went because our choir director and accompanist at my choir were honorees). It was put on by a local business publication. What’s notable is that there were 100 nominees; of the 40 chosen, all but 9 were women! Several were openly gay, thanking their wife or husband, and one worked with a local LGBTQ organization. I was struck by this, how even in a relatively conservative area more and more it’s women who seem to be the new leaders. They had posters of the winners back to 2009, and what I saw was that as the years went on the mix had more and more women in it.
Jackie
I wonder how many other Republican House members are (so far) silently in agreement with Gonzales and Salazar? We already know those who don’t toe the MAGA doctrine get primaried or decide to spend more time with their families.
Why not try wooing those to switch Parties? The Democratic Party is a big tent from the moderates to far left progressives.
We only need to swap a few to regain the House. Those who aren’t “perfect” will be challenged in the 2024 primaries, but Jeffries would welcome them more warmly than they’re being treated by McCarthy and his MAGAt leadership members.
Geminid
@gvg: Arizona is a very informative state when it comes to Hispanic people and Democratic politics. This group has lagged behind their Anglo counterparts in voter registration but is now catching up. They are a key component of the Democratic coalition in Arizona, much like African Americans are a key group in my state, Virginia.
Rep. Ruben Gallego’s Senate run may help close the participation gap even further. Also, I think Secretary of State Adrian Fontes may have helped mobilize Hispanic voters with his campaign last year, and now Fontes provides a tangible example of representation for Hispanic Arizonans.
Interestingly, Mr. Fontes’ family has lived in what is now Arizona since the mid-18th century, while Mr. Gallego’s mother was an immigrant. And they both served in the Marine Corps.
FastEdD
@Geminid: I live in that district (or used to before they changed the boundaries.) Dave Min is a former UCI professor, just like Porter is. They both ran for the same seat in Congress the first time and there was some bad blood between them. When Porter won they circled the wagons and supported each other, just like good Democratic Party members are supposed to do. Dave was later elected to the CA State Senate, with Katie’s endorsement. Now that Porter is running for US Senate, she supports and has endorsed Dave Min for her current seat. I know Dave a little bit. He is funny, engaging, and his wife is a brilliant woman with many accomplishments of her own. Harley Rouda is an okay guy, and I was thrilled when he won his race, but he lives in a bazillion dollar house in Laguna Beach and there are many $ reasons he doesn’t think about working people first.
Anoniminous
Starting to see daily videos emerging of Russian soldiers refusing to follow orders, the exact definition of a Mutiny. Even Russian unit commanders are refusing to obey.
Mustang Bobby
Don’t get too gooey-eyed over Rep. Salazar. I live in her district and she’s fully in the thrall of los historicos on Calle Ocho who still curse JFK for the Bay of Pigs and, as Betty Cracker noted, they claim that “socialism never works and it will never work in America” while they collect their Social Security, Medicare, and sure as hell didn’t mind it when the US government gave them frontsies over all the other immigrants from Latin America. She’s a mouthpiece for the worst of the Florida GOP.
OzarkHillbilly
@Soprano2: Progress is wonderful, even if it’s hard to see at any one point in time.
RaflW
@raven: Um, sorry I don’t get the reference?
Scott
@Jackie: Pretty sure Cuellar is working on him.
Geminid
@FastEdD: Thank you for the reporting. I know little about this race except that it seems likely that only one Democrat will make it past the primary. It sounds like two Democrats might advance in Schiff’s district.
I’m glad you Californians get to work out the bugs that come with a “jungle” primary system. Washington state does also, while Louisiana’s been using the system for decades. My state is a slow adopter, and I doubt if Virginia will go to open primaries or ranked-choice voting either anytime soon.
Alaska’s new system of an open primary followed by a ranked-choice contest in November, between the top four finishers, may get traction in other states
RaflW
@Soprano2: That’s great! But that is also the broad-based culture shift that is part (among others) of the right wing total mental breakdown happening.
They can see with their own eyes that the patriarchy is at least cracking. Some women (not saying these in this group of 31) are of course also invested in the patriarchy, but cis-het-men are not dominating the younger generations (yay) and like our continued shift towards plurality-white, it’s got ’em bugged out to the max.
Roger Moore
@Scout211:
I would expect Portantino to be the lead candidate. He’s being termed out from the State Senate, which means he’s been reasonably successful at winning over voters in a similar district. I have personally made a point of not voting for him over his attempts to kill pro-housing measures in the California Senate, but I sadly suspect that will be seen as a positive by a lot of potential voters.
WaterGirl
@Mustang Bobby:
Good to know! So she may be on the right side on one particular issue, but she’s awful on the rest?
Geminid
@Scott: Rep. Veronica Escobar might also be talking to Rep. Gonzales, giving him a soft sell at least. If he were to switch parties, her support coupled with Cuellar’s would help him a lot in a Democratic primary.
Gonzales could switch, but I think he is an outlier. I don’t see any other Republican Reps who would jump the fence. There will more likely be retirements instead.
Roger Moore
@WaterGirl:
Conservatives can be surprisingly liberal on issues that affect them personally.
Eunicecycle
@Geminid: so we are never going to get the fair districts we voted for, are we? Especially with our right wing Supreme Court.
Scott
@Geminid: I don’t see him switching parties but I do see him becoming more independent minded within the Republican party and more willing (and able) to buck the system. With McCarthy’s very small margin, he becomes more powerful. Like Manchin in the Senate.
Geminid
@Roger Moore: Salazar may also see the anti-immigration rhetoric and actions of her party as bad politics in a pragmatic, electoral sense. She would be right, I think.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Mustang Bobby:
How do they explain Scandinavia and most of Europe or Canada, then? Or the New Deal?
Betty Cracker
@Geminid: That may be true in the country at large, but the majority of Latino voters in Florida are evidently just fine with anti-immigrant demagoguery. I think DeSantis got almost 60% of Latino votes after his gross Martha’s Vineyard stunt.
Geminid
@Scott: Gonzales could be powerful if 4 or 5 allies from his caucus join him on an important issue, like the debt ceiling. That problem may prove to be a real stressor for the Republican House caucus.
There is also a slight possibility that five Republicans get so fed up they offer a motion to vacate the Squeaker’s chair and help Democrats reorganize the Congress under new management. This may seem farfetched now, but there is really no telling how dysfunctional the Republican majority will become.
Mustang Bobby
@WaterGirl: The ads she ran in her re-elect in 2022 against Annette Taddeo were jingoistic, misogynistic, and true to GOP form, never gave anyone a reason to vote for her as opposed to vote against her opponents. As I noted, her tagline was “Socialism doesn’t work, and it never will as long as I’m in Congress.” This in a district where a lot of us live on Social Security, Medicare, and send kids to or work for the public schools. Ugh.
WaterGirl
@Roger Moore: Isn’t that the truth!
Mustang Bobby
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): To them, Socialism is exemplified by Venezuela and Cuba. They’ve never heard of Norway.
WaterGirl
@Betty Cracker: Yeah, but that was those other brown people. I find it really shocking that the mentality that it’s okay to discriminate, as long as you’re not discriminating against me, is so widespread.
WaterGirl
@Mustang Bobby: Ugh is right.
Mustang Bobby
@Roger Moore: Case in point: The Cheneys flipped on LGBTQ and same-sex marriage when their daughter Mary came out.
They hate things in the abstract, but make exceptions when they realize their gay child will be the one deciding on their assisted living arrangements.
sab
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): @Eunicecycle:
I still love Ohio, but after this last election I agree with Kay that it is time to pack my bags.
Unfortinately my spouse and his kids are still Ohioans.