It is difficult to doubt the support of the Democratic Party for the black community. Not only did the first night of the convention hear from several representatives of this community, but George Floyd’s brothers intervened to request a minute’s silence in memory of their brother killed by a police officer.
If the political party promises to carry the cause of racial justice at arm’s length and if Joe Biden has enlisted the services of the first black candidate for the vice-president in the history of the country, this commitment could well lead to a cost from another group: Spanish speakers.
Former Democratic nomination contestant Julian Castro was concerned yesterday about the low representation of Spanish speakers among the speakers invited to speak by Thursday. He is already warning his political formation. If we can win the 2020 election by playing the card of injustices to which the black community is a victim, we risk alienating the Spanish-speaking vote and losing support for the 2024 campaign.
If the horizon of 2024 seems far to you, it should nevertheless be remembered that there are 32 million Spanish speakers to be able to exercise their right to vote, the largest minority in the country. Between 15% and 18% of the members of this community are still not registered on the electoral roll, even if participation is increasing rapidly.
This electoral clientele usually leans for the Democratic Party, but this vote should not be taken for granted. Not only should we capitalize on this natural inclination, but we should also ensure that we generate enthusiasm and participation in the vote. Republican blunders towards them will not always be enough to guide their choice or to motivate them to register their dissent in the polling stations on election day.
Is Julian Castro right to deplore the low Spanish-speaking representation? Yes. Two hundred and twenty-five delegates to the convention have also sent a petition to the party leadership on this subject.
Castro himself, the only Spanish-speaking candidate in the primaries this year, was not invited to speak. He is a good orator who was presented a few years ago as the Latino Barack Obama. I note in passing that the progressive star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will be limited to 60 seconds.
The demographic development of the country has for some time already indicated the weight of the Spanish-speaking community, a weight that is slow to convert into real influence at the top of the hierarchy. While Castro is in no doubt, for now, of Biden’s chances of winning, his warning is a good reminder of the reality and the need to expand the Democratic coalition.
