In the lead up to the U.S. presidential election, Imperfect Paradise is sitting down with four notable Californians to talk about a range of issues including gender, race and democratic values.
The series includes philosopher and gender studies scholar Judith Butler, artist and Black Lives Matter Co-founder Patrisse Cullors, and L.A. city council president Marqueece Harris-Dawson.
This week, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido talks with Republican campaign strategist Mike Madrid, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, a political action committee that opposes Donald Trump’s version of Republican politics. Madrid’s recent book, The Latino Century: How America’s Largest Minority Is Transforming Democracy, argues that both the Democratic and Republican parties have failed to make a compelling case that gets to the heart of what resonates with Latino voters.
In this conversation, Madrid and Cereijido dive into the issues Latino voters care about most, the rising numbers of U.S.-born Latinos, and how important that base is to securing the U.S. presidential election.
Interview excerpts have been edited and condensed for clarity.Â
Madrid on why political messaging around immigration isn’t winning over Latinos
Currently, 80% of all of the growth of the Latino population and Latino voters is U.S.- born. And most of that is third, and now, a discernible fourth generation voter.
This is not a voter who has the experience of the stories that you’re telling [about immigration]. They’re part of family lore and they’re important, but they’re important in a way that an Italian American knows about their grandfather stowing away on a ship to come across the Atlantic as a 15-year-old stowaway and finds himself in New York City.
They’re far removed. And so when Donald…
Read the full article here
