Welcome to the 2026 Season Premiere of the Latino Vote Podcast! And what a long year it has already been.

Chuck Rocha and Mike Madrid return from the holiday break with heavy hearts as they tackle a tumultuous start to 2026. Our hosts dissect the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good in Minnesota, Trump's intervention in Venezuela, and what these events signal about America's shift toward authoritarianism both at home and abroad.

Drawing on Chuck’s recent travels in Africa and reflections on history, genocide, faith, and humanity, the conversation explores how fear is weaponized, how power is exercised, and why the rule of law feels increasingly fragile. Mike connects the dots between global instability, domestic policy, and the political consequences already reshaping Latino communities—especially as primaries approach in Texas and beyond.

But this isn't just doom and gloom. Mike and Chuck chart a path forward for Democrats in 2026, arguing that Latino voters—and all Americans who believe in good over power—need results now.

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Recorded December 8, 2026.

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Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!

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Thank you to all of you, who tuned in to the Latino Vote Podcast this year. Your engagement, support, and passion for Latino political empowerment have made this community what it is. As Chuck and Mike said: 2026 will be the year of the Latino Voter!

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In this year-end holiday episode of The Latino Vote Podcast, Chuck Rocha and Mike Madrid take stock of a political year that reshaped American politics — and put Latino voters squarely at the center of what comes next.

From Trump fatigue and collapsing approval numbers to redistricting battles in Texas and California, Chuck and Mike break down why 2026 is already shaping up to be the year of the Latino voter. They dive deep into critical upcoming primaries including the Texas Senate race between Talarico and Crockett, the emergence of young Latina candidates like Eva Lopez Chavez in Utah's new district, and the need to elevate Latino voices across the political spectrum.

With a surge of Latino candidates running in unexpected places like Utah, Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, 2026 may be the year we build lasting Latino political infrastructure nationwide.

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Recorded Dec 17, 2025.

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Check out Eva Lopez Chavez' campaign announcement video. Consider donating to help her run for Utah's newly drawn congressional district: https://x.com/evaforutah/status/2000655039271247920

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Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!

Watch our episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Find us on Substack: https://substack.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheLatino_Vote

Visit our website for the latest Latino Vote news and subscribe to our newsletter: latinos.vote

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Chuck Rocha is BACK from the Indian Ocean to break down the SHOCKING Miami mayoral election that has Democrats buzzing and Republicans worried.

Esteemed political analyst Fernand Amandi joins Chuck to explain how Democrat Eileen Higgins crushed her Republican opponent by 19 points in a city that's 65%+ Hispanic and where Trump JUST won by 13 points. This wasn't some MAGA extremist losing—it was a respected Cuban-American Republican with Trump's full endorsement.

🔥 THE NUMBERS ARE WILD:

• Hillary won Miami-Dade by 30 points in 2016
• Trump won it by 13 points in 2024
• Democrat just won Miami by 19 points in 2025
• That's a 43-point swing in less than a decade!

Fernand reveals why Democrats are now overperforming by DOUBLE DIGITS in special elections across Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, and Virginia. Is Florida back in play for 2026? Are Cuban-American voters shifting again?

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🎙️ Featuring: Fernand Amandi - Principal at Bendixen & Amandi International: (https://bendixenandamandi.com/)

Find him out on Twitter (also known as X): https://x.com/AmandiOnAir
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Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!

Watch our episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Find us on Substack: https://substack.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheLatino_Vote

Visit our website for the latest Latino Vote news and subscribe to our newsletter: latinos.vote

If you want more of our discussions and behind the scenes please join our Patreon (www.patreon.com/thelatinovote) for exclusive content and opportunities!

*Due to technical issues, the posting of this discussion was delayed. Unfortunately, Bernardo Ruiz's  showcase of his films has already passed. We urge you to check out his work via his website. Our apologies for this error.

Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz joins Mike Madrid for an intimate conversation about two decades of capturing the Latino experience on film. From his PBS documentary 'VOCES: Latino Vote 2024' to his explorations of wine country labor and journalism under siege in Mexico, Bernardo has documented the contradictions at the heart of the American relationship with Latino communities.

Bernardo discusses his journey from the son of a Mexican musician-turned-monk to becoming one of the most important Latino voices in documentary film. He shares insights from filming across eight states during the 2024 election, explains America's "love-hate relationship" with Latinos, and reveals why the same workers celebrated as "essential" during the pandemic are now being targeted at their worksites.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Ruiz's unconventional path to filmmaking and what drives his work
• The evolution from "building monuments to heroes" to taking creative risks
• America's "love-hate relationship" with Latinos—from celebrating "essential workers" during the pandemic to today's mass deportations
• Why long-form documentary storytelling matters more than ever in the age of hot takes and algorithms
• The story Ruiz wishes he could have told: the deeper meaning of the 2019 El Paso Walmart shooting
• Why the Mexican-American diaspora needs its own "chicharron circuit" for community building
• Being optimistic yet wary about the future of Latino communities in America

Bernardo Ruiz's films explore the complexity and diversity often missing from mainstream narratives about Latino Americans. His approach—observation first, conclusions later—allows him to capture the moral ambiguity and nuance that gets lost in our polarized media landscape.

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Recorded November 17, 2025.

🎙️ Featuring: Bernardo Ruiz - Three News & Documentary Emmy Nominee Filmmaker: (https://www.bernardoruiz.com)

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Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!

Watch our episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Find us on Substack: https://substack.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheLatino_Vote

Visit our website for the latest Latino Vote news and subscribe to our newsletter: latinos.vote

If you want more of our discussions and behind the scenes please join our Patreon (www.patreon.com/thelatinovote) for exclusive content and opportunities!

Mike Madrid sits down with one of the most respected voices in Latino research—Dr. Mark Hugo Lopez, Director of Race and Ethnicity at the Pew Research Center—to unpack a brand-new, blockbuster dataset on Latino attitudes on the second Trump administration and their situation in the country.

Pew’s October survey of almost 5,000 Latino adults reveals something unprecedented: 65% of Latinos now say the situation for Latinos in the U.S. is worse than a year ago—the highest level of pessimism ever recorded in Pew’s history. Dr. Lopez explains how Latino sentiment has shifted dramatically between the 2024 and 2025 elections, with approval ratings, concerns about immigration enforcement, and feelings about economic policies all showing significant changes.

Key topics include:

• Why one-third of Latinos have considered leaving the United States in the past six months
• How worry about deportation has jumped from 37% to over 52% since February
• The paradox of personal financial optimism amid broader pessimism about Latino progress
• What validated voter data reveals about Latino Trump voters and their evolving views
• The decline in Latino immigration for the first time in 50 years and what it means for future generations

Dr. Lopez brings decades of expertise tracking the political maturation of the Latino electorate through one of America's most profound demographic transformations. He provides essential context for understanding the dramatic electoral swings we've witnessed and what they signal about Latino political identity in an increasingly US-born, intermarried, and established community.

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Recorded December 4, 2025.

🎙️ Featuring: Dr. Mark Hugo Lopez - Director of Race and Ethnicity at the Pew Research Center: (https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/mark-hugo-lopez/)

Check out Pew Research's report: 'Majorities of Latinos Disapprove of Trump and His Policies on Immigration, Economy': (https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2025/11/24/majorities-of-latinos-disapprove-of-trump-and-his-policies-on-immigration-economy/)

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Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!

Watch our episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Find us on Substack: https://substack.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheLatino_Vote

Visit our website for the latest Latino Vote news and subscribe to our newsletter: latinos.vote

If you want more of our discussions and behind the scenes please join our Patreon (www.patreon.com/thelatinovote) for exclusive content and opportunities!

Chuck Rocha and Mike Madrid sit down with Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina — immigrant, labor leader, campaign strategist, and the highest-ranking Latina on Mikie Sherrill's 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial campaign.

After New Jersey saw massive Democratic losses among Latino voters in 2024—with Trump gaining up to 24 points in some counties—Mikie Sherrill achieved a stunning turnaround, capturing 68% of the Latino vote.

Dr. Campos-Medina pulls back the curtain on one of the largest Latino vote swings in America, explaining how New Jersey Democrats reversed years of GOP gains by rebuilding trust, investing early, and talking directly about the economic crisis Latinos are living every day.

Key takeaways include:

• Why Latinos shifted to Trump in 2024 and what brought them back
• The importance of having Latino operatives making decisions, not just translating messages
• How opening up consultant contracts transformed the ground game
• The difference between 30-day campaign investments and year-round community engagement
• Why both parties competing for Latino votes strengthens the community's negotiating power

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Recorded November 12, 2025.

🎙️ Featuring: Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina - President of Latina Civic Action (https://latinacivicaction.com/)

Check out her website: https://patriciacamposmedina.com/
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Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!

Watch our episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Find us on Substack: https://substack.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheLatino_Vote

Visit our website for the latest Latino Vote news and subscribe to our newsletter: latinos.vote

If you want more of our discussions and behind the scenes please join our Patreon (www.patreon.com/thelatinovote) for exclusive content and opportunities!

Chuck and Mike sit down with music icon and Texas's 15th congressional district candidate Bobby Pulido for a raw, insightful discussion about culture, politics, and the future of South Texas. The platinum-selling Tejano music star breaks down why this heavily Latino district swung from 60% for Beto O'Rourke to 60% for Trump in just eight years, offering an unflinching look at what Democrats got wrong.

Bobby introduces a game-changing perspective: "People down here don't consider themselves poor—they consider themselves broke. When you're broke, you say 'tomorrow I'm going to make it.' Democrats treated people like they're poor, not like they're broke." This distinction captures why aspirational Latino voters are shifting right.

From his ranch hall campaign events (complete with barbecue and conjunto music) to challenging both parties on immigration, Bobby represents a new generation of Latino Democratic candidates willing to tell hard truths. He discusses the Republican dominance on social media, why border communities feel abandoned, and his plan to win back Trump voters without compromising Democratic values.
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Support Bobby Pulido's campaign: bobbypulidofortexas.com

Check out Bobby Pulido's official congressional campaign launch video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m8ChgwIpbA

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Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!

Watch our episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Find us on Substack: https://substack.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheLatino_Vote

Visit our website for the latest Latino Vote news and subscribe to our newsletter: latinos.vote

If you want more of our discussions and behind the scenes please join our Patreon (www.patreon.com/thelatinovote) for exclusive content and opportunities!

Democrats are celebrating a massive night — and Republicans are reeling. In this post-election episode of The Latino Vote Podcast, Chuck Rocha and Mike Madrid unpack the surprising 2025 results that reshaped the political landscape across the country.

From Virginia to Georgia, New Jersey to California, Democrats didn’t just win — they dominated. Latino voters helped fuel key victories, but the message from the ground was clear: this wasn’t a love letter to Democrats — it was a rejection of Trump, high prices, and economic frustration.

Chuck & Mike break down what the results mean for both parties heading into the 2026 midterms:

• Why affordability — not ideology — is now the defining issue for working-class voters
• How Latino turnout surged back to 2016 levels
• Why Republicans’ depressed base turnout spells danger ahead
• The risk Democrats face in “believing their own press releases”
• How the new political map could reshape Congress

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Recorded November 5, 2025.
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Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!

Watch our episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Find us on Substack: https://substack.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheLatino_Vote

Visit our website for the latest Latino Vote news and subscribe to our newsletter: latinos.vote

If you want more of our discussions and behind the scenes please join our Patreon (www.patreon.com/thelatinovote) for exclusive content and opportunities!

In this special edition of The Latino Vote Podcast, Chuck Rocha and Mike Madrid are joined by Helen Torres, CEO of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), and Mike Murphy, veteran Republican strategist, for a dynamic USC Center for the Political Future panel discussion on the fastest-growing and most consequential voting bloc in American politics: The Latino Voter.

The panel tackles the seismic shifts in Latino voting patterns, from the historic 22-point collapse in Democratic support to what this means for the 2026 midterms and beyond. Madrid, Rocha, and Torres dissect why this isn't a realignment but a "de-alignment" - with Latino voters becoming more anti-party and populist rather than more conservative.

Key topics include:

• The generational divide: English-dominant millennials vs. Spanish-speaking immigrants
• The gender gap and education split within the Latino electorate
• Why the economy wins over identity politics (and why "socialism" attacks don't work)
• The fatal flaw in Democratic strategy: chasing the Rust Belt while ignoring the new South
• How cultural competency beats micro-targeting
• Why Trump's working-class message resonated despite his anti-immigrant rhetoric
• What Democrats must do to compete in 2026 and beyond

This isn't your typical "Latino outreach" conversation. It's a masterclass in understanding the fastest-growing segment of the American electorate from insiders who've spent decades winning—and learning from losses. Whether you're a political operative, journalist, or engaged citizen, this discussion will change how you think about Latino voters and the future of American politics.

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Recorded October 29, 2025.

🎙️ Featuring: The USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future - Mike Murphy (https://dornsife.usc.edu/center-for-political-future)

🎙️& Helen Iris Torres - CEO of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality [HOPE] (https://www.latinas.org)
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Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!

Watch our episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Find us on Substack: https://substack.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheLatino_Vote

Visit our website for the latest Latino Vote news and subscribe to our newsletter: latinos.vote

If you want more of our discussions and behind the scenes please join our Patreon (www.patreon.com/thelatinovote) for exclusive content and opportunities!

In this powerful episode recorded during the government shutdown, Chuck Rocha welcomes Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva to discuss the unprecedented delay in her swearing-in. Despite winning her Arizona CD-7 special election 29 days prior, Speaker Johnson has refused to swear her in, leaving 812,000 constituents without representation.

Adelita shares the personal cost of running for office—resigning from her paid position, only to face obstruction after her victory. She reveals how constituent service offices have been shuttered, staff phones confiscated, and how she's literally locked out of functioning as a representative while federal workers in her district go unpaid.

The conversation explores the potential political motivations behind the delay, including her role as the crucial 218th vote needed for a bipartisan discharge petition to release the Epstein files. Adelita also discusses her campaign strategy, how she outperformed both Kamala Harris and her late father's margins in the heavily Latino border district, and the old-school door-to-door approach that won her the race.

From fancy beans to mariachi music, this episode introduces listeners to a fierce advocate following in her father Raúl Grijalva's footsteps while forging her own path in Congress—if they'll finally let her in.

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Recorded October 22, 2025.

🎙️ Featuring: Congresswoman-Elect Adelita Grijalva (Arizona Congressional District 7

Check out Adelita Grijalva:

• on X: https://x.com/AdelitaForAZ
• on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adelitaforcongress/
• Website: https://www.adelitaforcongress.com/

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Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!

Watch our episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Find us on Substack: https://substack.com/@thelatinovotepodcast

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheLatino_Vote

Visit our website for the latest Latino Vote news and subscribe to our newsletter: latinos.vote

If you want more of our discussions and behind the scenes please join our Patreon (www.patreon.com/thelatinovote) for exclusive content and opportunities!