Are demographics destiny? We talk to working-class Latino voters in Las Vegas about what issues matter most to them and whether they’ll vote for Democrats this fall. Political scientist Ruy Teixeira, former Bernie Sanders presidential campaign manager Faiz Shakir, and Carlos Odio of EquisLabs join to discuss.
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This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
There's another election season, ramps up. It can be tricky to sort through all the noise in the news. That's where slates political gap that comes in each week, hosting
dickerson, Emily Babylon and David plots decipher the headlines, breakdown the races and tell you what
she's really matter. They don't always agree
They do always deliver thoughtful debate and have a good time doing it think of political gap that is having after hours drinks with three journalists. Friends,
who can unpack the underlying issues and broader effects of the latest election grab lines great journalist by the great
and was inaugurated hug ass, one of the first shock ass. I ever listened to Russia gray people listening subscribe wherever you get your pike s mill.
Are as Mindy started canvassing when she was eighteen before the twenty thousand eighteen nevada primaries. She went with her mom a proud member of colonists, two to six the biggest union in las vegas, one that deployed five hundred canvasses to knock on more than half a million doors
but she likes to teach me fishes it. No moon! You gonna, do the same.
Very loud
seen. They gonna see. Among my turn, to push point
and his family has an added easy, no matter how hard they worked. It's never been enough to keep up with the cost of housing, starting with the crash that led to the great recession of two thousand eight. Now its official we are in a recession,
A report out today says nearly two hundred and thirteen thousand homeowners got foreclosure notices just in July
that is ground zero for the housing crisis. Every point in California, in the singular, moved to vegas in us three, because
That was too expensive got fired with vegas. We lived here to arm at present. He would send diego because we lost the house into
isn't he it's very tough moving all the time they think I went to like ten free schools, this free lonely, but it's okay. I got you,
if you are able to stay in the same house from the like a kid, it's very fortunate housing
way too expensive almost everywhere right now, but las vegas is one of the worst markets in the country
milanese also a full time nursing student and when the pandemic it she couldn't afford round place
so she and her boyfriend move back home, deliver their parents just like me
means of other young people did during covet, which is one reason she's out
knocking on doors in another, mid term elections,
many years when dealing with the current union. I just went to the corner reward.
I have proposed a ballot initiative for the twenty twenty two midterms. There would institute rent control and the predominantly latino working class neighbourhood of north las vegas eating ass. This
do you think is the most concerning me now
Most of us said housing
for the whole entire paycheck to go to housing, so those that attainable need down payment and you need to be able to like live. You don't like to eat. Rent control would be life changing
people like Melanie and her family, which is why she spent her summer collecting signatures in a hundred degree heat, because housings in,
HU, the too many politicians are doing anything about or even talking about. I have such a story about this.
member congresswoman, katy porter from our last episode, when I met with my first political consultant and
he said? Well, you know what do you see as the issues that
you want to run out like whose katy porter gonna be, and I said, housing and
political consulted whose no longer my consulted by the way said. Well, that's not really like a thing.
and I said no, no, no! Listen to me. This is the crisis.
people are facing- and this is the crisis that we're coming into the country, but generally this is
about as a private problem right, not a public one before this category public housing and we know what that conjures up and what that typically means and the rest of it. A sort of a thought about is like now
really the government's problem. That's completely untrue. Milk
in the corner a union are fighting to make sure housing is the government's problem, and that's why they're also focused on november. You are going to tell people to go vote because such there wasn't thing it
Indeed, the vat is one of the most important battlefields of the twenty two midterms when organs,
like Melanie, are knocking on doors about rent control. There also trying to convince voters to re elect democratic governor steve's. This aleck, whose facing off against the big lie believing sheriff of our county jail, amber
but the biggest race in nevada is also one of the closest in the country. The camp,
between Adam lacks all a trump indoors son of a
Medical dynasty, whom ipods if america, co host dan pfeiffer, calls the counter roy of nevada and democratic senator Catherine cortez master, the first latina senator in: u S, history and one of the few candidates whose made affordable housing central to her campaign. I have been working with so many in my state figure out. What is it that we need to do to address, afforded?
housing like pennsylvania, control of the? U s senate may come down to nevada, unlike pennsylvania, nevada is the only Biden state where the president didn't improve on Hillary Clinton. Twenty sixteen performance, even though the electorate became more diverse. So what happened? For years, political experts have predicted that a d
the fighting amerika would favour the democratic party, particularly as a growing number of lieutenant immigrants and their children have become voting citizens, making up a
your share of the electorate with each passing year. That prediction seemed like
especially good one in twenty sixteen, when the republican party nominated someone who announced his candidacy like this, when mexico sends its people dare not sending their best they're bringing drugs they're, bringing crime there, rapists sure enough trump. Last
tina voters and twenty sixteen by forty points and twenty eighteen when he made the final months at the mid terms about invading caravans, full of immigrants, republicans loss latino
was by a similar margin, but in twenty twenty something unexpected happened. Donald trump still lost the latino vote, but he did a lot better than he did in two thousand and sixteen and republicans didn't just do better with any kind of latino voter. They made their biggest gains with working class latinos, who don't have a four year college degree, which is about eighty five percent of all latinos
in a state like nevada, were letting us make up nearly twenty percent of the electorate, one of the highest shares of any state in the country. The Democrat simply can't win if they keep losing working class. Latino voters. The same is true in other states with big with you know, populations like arizona, texas, colorado in florida, but it's also true in very competitive states with smaller latino populations like georgia was constant and pencil.
So what can we do? How can latino organizers like Melanie in her mother went over enough of their neighbours and co workers to make sure that housings, more affordable, nevada stays blue and we re elect the country's first latina? Senator a few
from the vaguest strip, where a lot of the colony remembers work. I sat down with seven working class latino voters- everyone in this
group identified themselves as an independent, but some were certainly more conservative than others, and it was the only group where two voters had supported donald trump and twenty twenty two others voted for Biden. One voted third party and the last two didn't say who they voted for. As usual, I gathered
their team of experts to help unpack this conversation, eight Carlos audio, I am concerned or of excess research, energy, lamps yeah,
to share my curly, a senior fellow at the american enterprises to advance she care. I was very sanders presidential campaign manager and still retain essentially title of chief adviser to Bernie, and I have started a media organization called more perfect union that is focused on telling the stories of working people by and for working people will hear from Carlos Roy Faz and seven nevada voters after the brick.
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well yeah! Think about that. I dunno I stay away from twitter. Insist I figured it'd be bad for my mental health. You are correct. Carlos is out there somewhere right around thirty of us here I went to vegas because well
it's vegas, but I also wanted to sit down with some of the working class latino voters who have been drifting away from the democratic party in recent elections. There's been a big heated debate among political pundits and strategists about why this is happening. So I wanted to make sure I brought together some experts who could represent the different sides of this debate and actually bring some data and experience to the
Precision Carlos is a brilliant strategists and former obama campaign colleague, who runs one of the best latina pulling firms in the country.
He was one of the leading proponents of the demographics are destiny theory whose since changed his mind and now has using the subject that are a bit more controversial within the party and fast didn't just run, Bernie Sanders winning nevada cock.
Campaign. He was a top adviser, nevadas, most successful political leader, harry red and now runs a group that
it's done, organizing workers. I sat down with the three of them a few weeks after I came back from vegas to share what I'd heard and I asked them to help us break it all down in a second. I wanted to start by getting some open
the thoughts from each of you on the long running debate. You've all been part of about the democratic party's relationship with latino voters. Where does it stand? What are some common misconceptions? What are campaigns and candidates getting wrong? Carlos you've been closest to the data and you've probably seen countless focus groups like
the one there were about to hear from what do you think? I think what we know is that there is a lot of swing in latino vote. I think, for a period of time we took for granted that they are part of the democratic coalition.
I would say, you're you're different waves, but really after the immigration debates of two thousand sixty
thousand and seven you had this period where there was a vision of the republican party formed within those immigration debates.
that create a group norm among many latinos. That was, we can vote for them, their anti latino, their racist, thirty immigrant, it's the whole package and that helped create in
the fleet democratic coalition right and give a sense of a two third majority that almost seemed permanent and that as younger latinos agency electorate at an at a very fast rate, would only persists if not grow. What we solve
twenty. Sixteen during the trump tenure is some erosion of that group norm right where it stopped
so socially unacceptable to vote for republicans, in particular for
from- and there was a shift right where we are right now is a great deal of uncertainty right. It could fall either way. There's a lot,
can happen between now and the end of the election, because a lot of looking a vote
you're still in that undecided com, really, I know you ve written quite a bit
about this your thoughts. I think the Democrats have become increasingly identified with a set of positions
socio cultural issues? They really don't sit that well with a lot of hispanic working people who tend to be concerned
They have to moderate and their social views and then,
combine that with people's views initially at least a trumpet
They were quite well until the covert epidemic cat. After that, you had.
lot of hispanics being worried about why the Democrats really serious about reopening the economy. Many these people work and law
forest friend. Any of these people work and resource extraction, industries, oil and gas. There's a sense in which Democrats are seen as being hostile to those industries and to some extend with the Democrats. It comes down to what have you done for me. Lately, that's a question that they
an answer satisfactorily. As you know, nevada politics very well ran a campaign.
air that one over quite a few. The voters were about to hear from what do you think you're talking about communities that have a recent emigrate past or aid, not too distant? Immigrant passed today at least, can remember the immigration story by
they came here and so, when you think about why they came to america and what they're trying to do in america is a reflection on
a story of america that they can remember that that this is a story of opportunity and for some who come and tried.
Their own life. Here they see woe
lot harder alone,
challenging a lot more corrupt, and so what type of politics that I think appealed,
them our values. Oriented around the original ambition of america is the hey this,
of opportunity land of freedom in its values. Oriented, I think, you'll find echo.
Of everything that the thirty two said and some of the cliffs that we're gonna be hearing. I witnessed
preventing a with issues were most important to these voters. Let's take a lesson worse.
The biggest issues that you think are affecting las vegas and nevada. Overall,
as I outlined I've,
in another vegas for thirty two years, every sign used to have
ninety nine and move in special everything you can
fine, that no more and then they want the credits match like we were. One of those people were the owner sole right from under us
and I heard there was no weeklies festival. We were hotel, happy
and that seventy two hundred some dollars first to go to a decent autonomy, and I had to do that for three months before we go,
our house. Rent has gone up a few hundred dollars in the last couple years. That's pretty big em out for a family to have the
sure I understand why there's no rent control in the state- I really don't. I was there for so long and if I had a rent right now, it'd be hard because you know wages aren't going up, but yet housing is. I can't think of somebody like graduating college,
let's say, twenty or thirty year old, how they can buy a house now, sixty thousand dollar your income, because the prices have gone up so much. Will gas prices engrossing groceries going on this
furious, because the way they use this pandemic to take advantage of the situation and inflation
mace millionaire more men in climate change field like these hypothetical restart real but be in vain.
We all see any rain. We see
extreme weather. I think that, because my kids, what had happened in thirty years forty years, wouldn't think what did they get inherit while I'm gone, they most concerned about climate change
the decline in water and just the fact that we share water from like four different states
in an open and probably have said, but the abortion and accounting
the big issue with their? How dare
and tell me what to do with my body, but I can tell you if you own a gun and then the fact that your gun might kill my kid that goes to school. That's a big,
It's funny cause. You can tell me, I gotta have a kid, but I can't say you can own a gun. So I asked this question in every focus group in every focus group I would say
the cost of living issue that I heard about the most that politicians talk about the least is housing, and it was here
obviously there have been having issues into better for a long time. I heard it in orange county from all the young voters. That was their top issue. I heard it a little bit in pittsburgh is well enough
we don't hear that as much in the national political debate faz. Why do you think that is why
first of all, the sum of the policy measures that would be required have been deemed to be so offensive to the
wealthy in the rich landlord. So if you think about the word that were mentioned, rent control, I may has become almost toxic and many political conversation
the idea of government coming in and imposing a mark. A condition of the economy is just so foreign, so I think it is become an issue that
among wealthier folks have decided it politically. Taxes should talk about it, but I think what sometimes Democrats,
Again, it is important here is the working class.
emotions around the issue because it when you talk
at housing, you're also talking about people who feel a sense of shame. It's a it's, a big part of narrative that goes through as I, if I can't provide for my family, I feel a sense of shame for myself. I feel sense of shame about my children. I feel worried. I feel anxious
all the time? That condition is really important to also access when you're thinking about policies or not not only just say how is your policy here's an emotion where people are on edge, they're struggling and we got to connect with it. Curls to these answers that you just heard track with the data that you've been looking at, you could take a transcript of this focus group and copy and paste it in any state and with any demographic and people would buy that. It's that that it's
Yet we are divided country, but I would say that the voters are united among a set of concerned. At this point. It is the perverse thing about something like rising prices and inflation
does that it. Everybody feels that everybody sees it in some way or another, some people more than others, but its consistent at their dinner table. It
straights, that there is this disconnect between the dc discourse and what people are talking about, and the question is: how does our politics become more responsive to those needs? People feel a lot of anxiety, they don't know, what's going to happen next, then you have crisis upon crisis
upon crisis and the challenge for democrats in this moment is that fairly or not fairly, their blame.
The people in charge and they perceived Joe Biden to be the person in charge road
One thing I noticed in this group is that, while economic issues came up quite a bit, you also heard people become animated about issues like abortion guns, climate and these aren't liberal democrats. What do you think
but that well I mean, I think, if you look at that serve a data is pretty clear that his
panic. Voters overall, are supportive of a moderate position on abortion rights. Moderate position on gun control and generally are in favour of doing something about climate change. The problem is relative salience, in my view,
I think, generally speaking, the issues that are driving them tend to be different. The mostly concerned about housing, the cost of living jobs, healthcare, their kids, their community. Other issues are important and to extend the Democrats are viewed as being on their side on those kinds of issues. That's fine, but if the Democrats are viewed as being affect,
on core issues about housing, about the cost of living about the way the economy's working. What's
happening with real wages. I mean one,
I always think about it or a frazier like to use hispanic. Voters are normie voters right, they
want a better life. They want to move up their patriotic there,
for opportunity as fast as been emphasising and sort of that's what they want to take advantage of.
Although one thing I've been wondering, as I listen to more voters in these groups is, you know we tend to like separate the issues and there's economic issues and then they're sort of cultural issues that are
just a lot in the media and by elites and and people tend to care.
about economic issues, but what I'm here for people on some
these issues now especially posts dobbs with abortion? Is people become
made by issues
really I mean it's a simple but
their own lives and people who know them in the way that people have talked about climate
is not the way that a lot of politicians cycle climate but like hey, I'm worse,.
the drought in our state right. The way people talk about abortion is,
I am now concerned that someone I know
couldn't get an abortion and had had to drive to another state, or I knew some one who was involved in it in a mass shooting of Carlos or Faz. You guys yosemite thoughts on it too.
with any urge urgent issue in the issues that you know, any voter might indicate our high salience of them. They want to know that you are going to fight on them and there's that there is a question of how
emotionally resident incredible. You are in that fight and
I think you know on the re. What we're dealing with their people for taking this trump republican party is that they embraced friction. They are often fighting there. Always yell and they're always angry about something and that's what trump has brought them too, and if
I asked you today, like hey: what is Joe Biden and what do Democrats really get emotionally fired up about just ponder and reflect on it? I asked
honestly. I say that with all due respect to him and to the whole party honestly like what what would do, what do you think people would think you get fired up about, and just like answer that question for yourself for a moment and see where you're up, I think there's there's a narrative. Sometimes at lahti knows or
I lean toward republicans because there's values alignment there of some sort right and they reject. Where Democrats are on some of these cultural shoes and they're, more aligned with publicans, where I think it's, it's actually closer faster, just saying in terms of priorities that they perceive the Democrats are not talking about their priorities less. I would think about
action on the particular things Democrats are talking about and more just saying the things I care about the most the things that I'm intense about. You don't seem to be talking about me. While these republicans will you don't seem to give a shit about me, but they are ruthless
prioritizing the economy, and so, if I'm the vote on that issue, that's the way I'm going where think democrats miss in these moments is what keeps a majority of the tennis with Democrats above and beyond their demographics is a sense. The Democrats care more. The question is, can Democrats deliver, but it was wild to me while I am talking in the context of the economy, the after of valdry, you had some arguing the democratically to say nothing about guns, because on guns, Democrats don't have a natural
at Israel trusted more well, listen the advantages, the Democrats care more. You gotta lean into the caring in a moment like that, like valdry, when yet these kids being gun down, if you can't show care, then you're undermining the one brand strength you have that is still carrying you vote.
So when I asked what most important issues one person in the group raised, immigration, which I know is an issue that some pundits just assume is letting voters top priority, but it did set off a discussion about the issue. Let's take a lesson
other big issues that are debated even
either in nevada or or nationally their affecting you personally, that you think about the immigration issue, immigration,
every person of those that are you going to come here, they're going to qualify for welfare with things, housing and who's going to pay, for it seems like cats.
Ass, the texas border. We see those big lions under their branches, seemed like like cats. Maybe it in the past
There was times where immigration policy was kind of heartless where they were purpose. The doing
things that they knew were going to kill people to deter them from trying to come over. That's pretty heartless, but I think now it's way to just careless that they need to get a policy of stick with. It met no matter which parties
ouch, I mean you got, kids are down there, the dead, they're they're, the ones who have to suffer. You know older
Just try to get a better life for many people, think it should be easier to integrate in the united states and how many people think it should be harder
immigration instead, we should we allow. Should we control is not very easy and mean that you got it.
Here with thirty years: they're, not criminals, they pay taxes every year there on the ground, and then these people they haven't been attacks in their life here, but he's come over excited mexico.
sure mexican. You don't qualify issue from any other country. Just come here. Put your foot here. Are you
moreover, the house Adam
then all those people died in a truck to come to a country and we set up here.
His country and talk shit about our own country, how shitty we are- and these people died in a trip to get here. So they can have a little bit of what we have. That said to me as an american that all those people lost
and we let it happen to my by buddies, married to his wife for twenty years, she's all uses in David
for six years now the immigration wars are cheap. You know in the paper to get it
They make it harder in that way to theirs
some kind of way. These help it and assist, so they can be a smoother process and that's not happening so
It certainly seem to me that, at least in this group views about immigration.
Or bit more nuanced and complicated than the political debate, we ve heard over the last few years
Thus, what do you think John there's so much there there's the border, and there is this idea of a pathway to citizenship and we try to,
like all of these things, is being one thing, but the borders really a different issue in voters. Mine special,
no voters minds where it's more, as you heard, and they talked about in the group- concern about public safety or concern about order concern our resources.
At the same time, I'd say this is a category that is the plurality of latino voters in our polling, both believe in increased border security and a pathway to citizenship. You heard it they're separating between do something about the border, but also take care of the people are here, and so it is a both and now what Democrats have done of late.
is none of the above and so among latina voters. The president's worse numbers across Oliver,
states on issues of immigration, because the border crowd the pathway. This isn't a crowd and the both crowd all disapprove
inaction has led through disapproval, and so this thing that help differentiate between the parties among latina voters is no longer. Has that power. The key swing. Voters don't see a meaningful different
when the parties on this issue, at least in believing democrats, would actually do anything about it. But I think we will. We have a problem in the democratic,
party, where not only obviously, not much progress is being made on a path, the citizenship, but
There is a real resistance to trying to do anything that smacks of border security. This is a big loser where the democrats in
general at night, I think, and even among hispanic voters, because that's that's not their preference structure. They want to see, ordered the border they
There should be a fair and humane system for people to come to this country,
and then work their way up. This is a nation of immigrants and we need to have a functioning rule based
immigration system that gives people a fair chance to come here. What,
here now is like a desperation in those voice, as you see people yearning and hungry for somebody to own the political struggle that is required to try to solve the problem and to grapple with the difficulties.
of governing it and to tell each side like hey, you cannot get what you want, especially when you get into south taxes, and you talk to some of those communities. They live with
as a crisis and they may live with it as a sense of public safety? You know our member who gone down there and of for justice narrows or work on the campaign bernie bringing our meat when so many people in their expressing just generally s concern about the crops in the
animals and the break ins- and it was very much a sense of I don't feel safe and if they don't feel you're you're, even addressing their safety and then you dot accessing their their emotion there feeling about the issue after the break. The voters tell us how they really feel about politics, parties and politicians.
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up to forty percent, often you go to shop, beam, dot com, slash wilderness and use coat wilderness check out that shop b, E, a m dot com, slash wilderness and use code wilderness for up to forty percent off. Welcome back after talking with the las vegas group about the issues that mattered most of them, we got into politics. I started by asking these voters how they felt about politics and this,
eight of the country man to solve its non depending on the subject: furious disgust
I mean it just continues,
It is a lot in open, says everything I looked back.
in typical neal opposites, but yet they always came to a to come together and make policy work. We don't do that anymore. It's not america anymore. It's too!
separate parties that are basically saying we're not going to make you look good, even if it suffers the american people. Why do you think both parties are so divided? I think it's a power trip. I really think
They want to control like natty pelosi. She should have been quite a while back and then you ve got dumb mcconnell
why are they still there? There should be term limits. I mean you know it's like how many times can you play an album on a stereo turntable to stretch the it's not as good as once sounded and socialist fade off the quality and that's what it's like with those guys brings new blood,
the politicians, they promise you a lot of things, but then, when they get in there, I don't see the results a lotta times. You know
guess so they gets way to compete.
the way to click and there's a lot of perspectives of hounds plus a legacy of my life and death and like policies that are going out there just first weight and stressful.
I have lots of go and put that into my mind and then have like these like household chores and task and work that I have to focus on so fast. Do you
I think, that the surprising flurry of activity in washington of late might have some kind of effect on these.
Those views about politics or the state of the country. Well, yes, it's nice to pass bills and it's nice to show government working, but then
you know you will you go out there and you start talking a regular working class people say: hey. We pass historic thing to reduce prescription drug prices in america, so if you're, some
in the suburbs. Get a nice six figure income not really worried about prescription drugs costs in your life, and you hear that you're happy, hey my team, the Democrats. We did something good for the world now, what
your person living on the edge who really needs prescription drugs costs to go down its eating away at your life. You stress about it and you go and tell that person. We reduce proscription drug costs in america and they look at every penny on that prescription. Drugs costs that they have an
I see anything happen. Nothing has happened and nothing will happen re for another. Few years, the gap between a Democrat in a working person will just grow
They will hear you saying I did something for your life. Meanwhile,
we're looking at the prescription, drug costs staying the same or going higher. It is fine to be honest and direct about saying. We pass these important measures in twenty twenty five. This will happen twain. Twenty six will happen to his history,
it was hard. We fought big farmer, but there's like has you gotta conclude that sentence and if you put us back in office, here's what I want to do next. I am going to continue to take those guys on and I'm gonna advocate for these,
next to three reforms that will have even more impact in reducing your prescription, drug costs and the reason I have credibility about that is because I did it. I just did in the last two years when you put us in office, but my work is not yet done. You gotta put me back, so I can keep taken on these bastards and keep delivering for you, Carlos. I was
struck by that last comment from a young woman named daisy about politics feels confusing
It's stressful and she's, just too busy working to pay attention.
It seems like she's, exactly the kind of person democrats need to reach, but how do we reach her if she's not paying attention to politics, or it's too confusing? That's a great question. It's you know it's typical in focus groups to hear people say
Well, you know, I don't want to believe they have a hard time seeing through the news fog until you turn off the news, and I think in that
There is a small number of things that are really going to break through going into the geographies, where our voters live,
over the organizing it's getting clustered in very urban areas. We are going into the spots where voters
We live and then slowly we're not going where they communicate online. So youtube is a major source of news and information for looking of voters, but he has actually spend twice as much time as novelty knows on youtube, but on some circle
Youtube is seen as like beneath us right from an organizing standpoint. It's like the cool place to organise and it takes
very big investment, and so when people want to know about an issue, what is going on with gas prices?
If they're going on you to the information. That is how
that makes sense of the world is largely coming from the right wing or is just not there. I asked but people's views of both political parties and which party was better for working people. Here's what they said.
Based on what was all the time,
The second thermo obama just wanted to the rebels. What major change, because for the workers or for me it's my opinion that republicans is better, but if you are on welfare and food stamps and and go urban hell, if you qualify for that, you
with alarm in: u hell you help ensure, as he went out with the roma, is too expensive, so
that proved to be the Republicans there. Better
other people that work. If you work, that's it that's a great question. I was about to ask what, which party do you think is a better party for working people, surgeon, you think republican,
robert anything, it depends on your income bracket. Unless you're corporates position decisive democrats targets, I would say
Publicans now, but I say it used to mean democrats, vents, democratic democratic rewards, democrats, Erika, publican,
I will only we know the deference to owners Roy. Why do you think people like sergio and Caesar have changed their views on which party is bad?
for working people. So I think a lot of the way people vote between political parties depends on sort of ay a lot
long term waited assessment of who has been better for you and
family and the kind of people you now and when that starts to decay under the oppressive circumstance, the picture becomes cloudy.
and you can sort of move away from your traditional loyalties, as I mentioned before, a Democrat seem to be getting started more preoccupied with issues in the social cultural round and they seem to be less interested or less focused on the problems of working people. So I think frequently about just leads to a sense of frustration where, even if they like the Democrats, a bit better than the Republicans is not that they have a great deal of faith in it,
and then there are some people are just going to conclude the opposite. The republicans are better and there are some people that throw up their hands and say you know I dunno, I mean things, don't seem to change that. Much no matter who is in charge fares. What do you think
I feel like these are some of the very same voters who Bernie was trying to reach. You know obviously, democrats less of a labour party now than probably it's kind of historic and storied past and that's part of the problem in the first six months of this administration. Coming in the midst of the pandemic, we have progressive economics. John you remember it really. Well, we had a stimulus. We had unemployment, insurance expansion, child tax credits pandemic, food relief for people.
well. It was a a whole bunch of things to lift folks and then inflation and inflation have pretty hard in august, and I think we lost the narrative around what what did you cause inflation rate of you that that was an important natural question that everyone's got? How did inflation come about
and wasn't your fault that you did all these nice things for working class people. You know donald trump. If you go back and look at his rhetoric and just not policy. Just look at us rhetoric that guy talked about
well corporations, name them by name blasted them on twitter, blasted them in public speeches, more than probably any modern president in history, and so, if you're a worker at any of those companies- and you take all those companies by name. What do you hear that president has taken on my boss, holy moly, that guy's taken on my bus, curlers? Obviously there's a lot of data that shows republican gains among latino, voters are concentrated among specifically working class and also folks, without a college degree. Do you think this is economic in nature and do you think a message like FAS just delivered would help sort of bring
These voters back into the fault I mean at at most you're talking about twenty five percent of latina voters being college educated. So we say that the trends happened mostly among non college, like I think it obscure. Sometimes
more than elucidate, because we're talking about an overwhelming majority here of the vote, the challenge
We ask ourselves what what's moving people tore trump and I think I better question is to start with the first half of it, which is what constrain them in the past.
Because Joe Biden, the one a majority of non concertina, so there is still something it's,
this all together, what is held back other more conservative, looking latinos people who buy demographics, you'd say these. Could they may be republicans and that's why? I think there is a challenge in thinking that the argument should be entirely economic right. Obviously, I think we're Tito's care by the same things every else cares about, but this idea that we should go colorblind. The Democrats should a race, racial ethnic identity,
the question, even though that has been central to what kept latinos in those large numbers voting for Democrats, I think part of the narrative about the working class is part of a global trend that we're talking about right,
the right wing parties are gonna taken over the working class and what is left
kind of liberal elites plus then there's the part that kind of gets left out. Minority parties and the children of immigrants
so there is still something about being a minority and feeling others within a country that is still very potent, and so we can't just reduce this too materialist concerns. In this moment,
We finally got to the midterms, and I asked about one of the most competitive senate races in the country between Democrat Catherine, cortez, Mastro and republican adam laxalt. Here's what these voters are thinking black holes got too much baggage. What kind of
why, when he was in office here, there was some investigations, but I think for him he just more inclined to take more pack money. I think he's gonna go and take money from
corporate more she will, I think, be more influence by them and also the big lie that I hope you will take up a fax or fax, but
all these people endorsing this big lie. It turns me off bigtime, say nobody.
Have you made up your mind on ourselves? Master, I don't think I know not yet, but probably lax or master doesn't seem since
genuine diminishes seems like a like. I knew
work team player
We should whatever or whatever the party line is that's what that's what she's going to do, and I don't respect that and politician. I haven't picked one out yet
What would make what would make you decide? What are you looking for a candidate or their issues that will help you? I guess
keep their word and do it they gonna do serve. The big lie, causes us
After hearing them say that the media coverage january six too much- I was also surprised to hear them a couple times have embraced. The big lie was disqualifying. What do you make? A vow of that sort of this race? Is their advice you give to the master campaign? Would you highlight that lacks all extremism? What would you do? Yeah court has now shows an interesting case right because, even though she herself is latina, she was it pretty well known, initio community previous
the cycle and so she's cutter had to reintroduce herself, and she does have some attributes that seem to appeal
Who has been voters. The kind of several apart from a generic Democrat even think, she's done around, for example, human trafficking, that kind of
her out of the realm of just dc talking points and your typical MSNBC issue agenda and differentiate her and show her as a person of action and then like salt. In some ways, Democrats drew the best person they could unlock salt. I mean what you hear and focus groups that
you ve done in the stage, is the guy seen as something of a zero rate, somewhat boring on any act.
It's about him. There are more exciting or the fact he's very much
trump guy.
and so in some ways this is one of the hardest races. Democrats have right now, but so far things have fallen slightly better configuration, at least as it concerns the ability, electric Faz
in addition to having run a campaign that won in nevada caucus. You are also harry reid staffer, so you know the state well, two thousand come to the top my mind is that nevada has a strong, labor state, culinary a strong. There.
baffling to me that more Democrats aren't talking about the starbucks and amazon organizers and others like one of the most.
generationally important things has happened. I don't take any democratic, really talks about it, but you could imagine for
strong labour orientation and nevada. It would be very persuasive. Number two is like housing and going back to the first comment that you re
how do you get attention, howdy breakthrough in an era? Sometimes justice start talking about things and other people talking about, but if you look at
The nevada there are,
housing, ordnance and and ballot measures that are trying to be pushed through at various parts of that state. So yeah.
try to keep your base engage, get your message out. Get democrats understanding your credibility.
Your desires, your fight, your empathy, your goals and, I think,
should you are right, but she's got some work to do.
So I usually end by asking the group. I talk about their dream candidate. Someone they'd be accepted to vote for this.
who gave one of more interesting sets of responses, have heard with listen. If you could assemble
your dream candidate. What qualities would that Canada have that you be excited to vote for that person for president states want. Trumpery ran
I liked him because he would always tat he had no influence he'd like to the middle. Nobody had, I say what he would do a decision making so like that I'd want to
the panic carried the starting to have influence from outside parties, or so
this puts stock and ever happened, but I want
was gonna build make decision, I won t specified
actually the best for his party or her party Eric what about it
well, I think troubling, because the other younger guy, if he was let's say his kids, would go run or something around younger trump and integrity, integrity and personal integrity, not just integrity for their party. But to really has
because we have personal integrity. You'll do what's best instead of going
your party dismally.
What you said about our trump was lake alyosha dumping influence. I liked I just got an awful big surprise. Not really
going according to leg.
Everyone else's, opinions are just like pressured mistral incurred for luck
strike out. I mean at our like firefox. I have here the other sum this up. Here's the here's, the
the really weird part just so everyone listening knows how complicated voters can be that the first man you heard Robert said he liked trump, because he seemed like he was in the middle and he wasn't being influenced by anyone. Robert later said that he couldn't vote for trump again and that he's leaning toward rhonda santas in two thousand and twenty four. But then he said
Then he loves, quote, loves, eo c and think should be a great speaker and he said the because she has said
to Nancy policy and her party, and he respects that kind of integrity. Can anyone makes sense
of a voter whose Lee
in towards around centers but loves, amc and hosts, show show view speaker. Anyone want to take that. I feel like we should start with the diagnosis of trump. I think what sometimes is missed about the original intent of trump is that
the sales pitch is not that I was a disruptor who was gonna revolution airily bring down this government, the aspirational pitch of trump. For many of these voters at works is our business man. I did well in life. I don't need this job. I gained a system for myself. I know how the system is corrupt. I know how it works, and now I'm gonna game it for you. People are looking for at the end of the day, trust in an elected officials.
do the things that they don't have the time, patience or inclination to give a damn about. Like hey, I elected you, hugo figure. This shit out give me somebody who wants to come in here. Tell me that they're going to take on some powerful people be a disruptor, but do it for me: they're, basically giving you the pulse of populism, of their live condition of real lives, and if you tap that that's good populism that you can marshal for good politics, otherwise people are gonna. Move towards the authoritarian autocrats who want to disrupt this stuff because the whole government ain't worship. Thus the argument re. What do you think about that people are are thirsty for someone who bases
Lee hates and will bash and is different from the elites who they believe a running the country and running it into the ground and don't really care about them. Why would someone simultaneous, like the santa scenario, say? Well,
elsie s out there bashing people too. They like the fact the cheese seems you know, sort of unleashed she
Tell it like it is she's she's, not afraid of saying stuff, that's really on pop
so does it hang together? Coherently is an ideology, no doubt at all, but that's never forget people
thus, whose ideologies hang together a really weird most people's. You know.
a lot of views that are contradictory all all over the place.
Have to realise that if they don't
here, someone who is a baking that kind of peer, chew, convinces em they're, not just another one of the elites they can go to bed direction. Carla's one with you
You know you, you said earlier Democrats firm need to show that they care across not just economic issues, but a whole host of issues can be shown that you care cannot exist. Alongside some of the popular
Isn't that both fas and roy you're? Talking about where you are bashing, some powerful people yeah absolutely cause it. You know it's karen, it's deliver and what republicans have for them is the ruthlessness, and so in general, I think someone has acquitted in the past trying to stand on a plane,
cora seesaw, which is you need to have a strong stance on boats. Are heights you'd take strong positions, but
both sides in a way that kind of balances you out, and I think people are looking for people who suffer through expectations warrant just saying what they would expect to come out of the mouth of an average
I'm a crack or of average republic it. That's all Democrats. The challenge for them right now is showing that they have the care.
But show they got little that ruthlessness in them to message I care, but I'm ruthless
muscularly matter care, ruthlessly arrive. We figured it out here. We figured it out Faz Roy Carlos. Thank you so much like used one thanks for having serious latino political strategies will
and make the point that the lahti no community is not a monolith. In fact, all fifty states have seen growth in their letting oh papa.
since in the last decade,
Community stem from over twenty countries its precisely because this growing demographic so diverse that its foolish and even insulting to make assumptions about latinos, partisan loyalties or policy, pray
roy argues that latino voters, especially working class.
if latinos, like the people I spoke to in vegas, are quote unquote normal voters, which he defines as voters who aren't very partisan and care, mostly about their jobs, the cost of living, the quality of their schools and the safety of their communities, and certainly that's a lot of what we heard from these voters. And it's the same thing we heard from other struggling voters who don't follow politics that closely. None of these voters have much faith in the political system because they don't feel like the
Wisdom has made life better for people like them, people who aren't rich, but Carlos makes a persuasive argument that it would also be a mistake for the democratic party to just ignore the racial and ethnic identities of latino voters, especially
When so many right wing xenophobes are using those identities to marginalize and exclude latino americans from the country, they love and call home
It is true that views about immigration among latino voters, maybe more complicated than some pundits, an activist assume, especially
around border issues and especially among which he knows who live in border communities, we certainly heard concerns about public safety and fairness from these voters. But we also heard empathy and compassion for immigrants would risk everything to
come here in search of a better life. These voters may not have much faith in american politics right now, but they still
believe in the american dream, not just because it holds the promise of opportunity, but because it does so, regardless of what you look like or where you come from or what languages
And what they really want, our leaders were actually willing to fight for that promise who were relentlessly focused on the issues we heard about in vegas. If democratic candidates don't
that kind of fight, there's a real danger that these voters could either give republicans a chance or give up on politics altogether a trend we ve seen in the last few elections. People like me
Many are doing their best to make sure that doesn't happen. In august, the northwest vegas city council actually struck down the rent control initiative so
by all their hard work and the over wellman support from the community, it won't be on the ballot this fall well short of shouldering. Can we get a lot of work towards that? Take effect?
the base, but Melanie in the other organizers, aren't giving up uneasily
The color, a union says that they're gonna keep talking to voters and that they plan to run
they're, calling the largest field programme in nevada history, where units dyke hardly ever gonna. Kick this too.
our county were an antenna does give appear, were going to make a bigger.
so the colony our union is now going door to door collecting signatures for a county, wide version of their rent control proposal, but, as Melanie learned, none of that matters if they can elect leaders who will support these types of policies,
so? They'll also be working to elect candidates up and down the ballot, who will finally do something about the cost of housing from catherine, cortez master and Steve sisolak to their local city council members? It's not just about making history! It is about ensuring we have a seat at the table to get something jain right, because I'll tell you why? Don't you think it is about time
that we had diversity in the united states Senate every game hours so little time. We'd have to make sure and talk to everyone that we can. As far as I see on the doors lot of people they'd given up, they don't think it's going to have to go vote. We have to tell them why it's so important to go vote
Why we're out here on the yeah? We're not here for no reason they're out there because of what voting can do because of what it can change. It's the reason that so many people have fought so long and so hard for access to the ballot,
it's. Why they're still find when we say things like our democracy is under attack, only say things like: we are living in a climate crisis. People of color, particularly black people in america, hit first and whereas, by all of those things,
We also know that we can't afford matter, but I think the question on the
able, is you ve told him about, they ve been voting, and what have we done.
I vote. That's what you hear from folks next week for a final episode without the black voters in atlanta georgia,
we're organizers are battling cynicism and suppression and a place that's become central in the struggle to save our democracy. See you then.
The wilderness is an original podcast from crooked media season. Three is produced
if the dust light productions, I'm your host Jon favour from crooked media are executive producers. Are Sarah Geismar katie long and me special thanks to Alison falsetto and Andy taft, for production support and to my coolest check from benenson strategy group who helped us with our focus groups from dust
our executive producer is me should use if our when next is our executive editor. Seventy cone is the senior producer to make Adams is the producer and Francesca D, as is the assistant producer, this episode with sound design.
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If you want to learn more about how you can take action in the fight for our democracy had over two votes. If america dot com, slash midterms,.
Transcript generated on 2022-11-05.