The Latino Vote

*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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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

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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 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!

Check out Gina Hinojosa's interview announcing her run for Texas Governor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kocf9-4zPtw

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Chuck Rocha returns from his Texas homecoming with stories about reuniting with his high school buddies and Mexican family, reflecting on how working-class communities have shifted from Democratic strongholds to Republican territory over the past 30 years. Mike Madrid joins from Mexico to discuss the looming Supreme Court decision that could dismantle Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act—potentially costing Democrats 20 House seats and eliminating minority district protections forever.

Our hosts dive deep into the emerging Black-Brown political tensions as Latino populations grow in historically African American districts, examining real-world examples from Dallas and California. They also analyze the Middle East ceasefire, condemn racist text messages from Young Republican leadership, and debate Maine's Democratic Senate primary between establishment favorite Governor Mills and working-class outsider Graham Plattner—an oyster farmer and veteran who represents the generational change the party desperately needs.

Plus: Updates on the government shutdown contest, Texas gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa's announcement, and why Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva still hasn't been sworn in despite needing a paycheck.

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!

Comment your guess on how long the government shutdown will last! Closest comment will get:

1. The Latino Vote Podcast T-Shirt
2. 'Tío Bernie' book signed by Chuck Rocha: https://www.tioberniebook.com/
3. 'The Latino Century' book signed by Mike Madrid: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Latino-Century/Mike-Madrid/9781668015278

*Must comment before notice of end of government shutdown.
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Chuck and Mike dive into the government shutdown now entering its second week, debating whether it will last a month or wrap up sooner. They break down the explosive Virginia AG race where text messages about violence have upended the Democratic campaign, discuss New Jersey's tight Senate race, and explore why working-class Latinos are feeling disconnected from both parties.

Our hosts analyze major fundraising numbers and the rise of new progressive candidates, including Jon Ossoff's $12 million haul and a Texas state rep who raised $6 million in just 31 days. They examine David Hogg's new PAC backing challengers to Democratic incumbents, the California governor's race after Katie Porter's viral meltdown, and why Prop 50's opposition is running out of money.

Plus: Chuck shares insights from canvassing Latino voters in Paterson, NJ, discusses why Democrats need to reconnect with faith communities, and reveals his newfound obsession with "The Chosen" TV series. Mike breaks down the Tennessee special elections that could shift House control and why authentic candidates like the Maine oyster farmer are resonating with voters.

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News from this episode:

• Politico - 'Jay Jones texting scandal breathes new life into GOP push in Virginia': https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/08/jones-fallout-00596731
• CBS Evening News - 'Katie Porter has fiery exchange with reporter': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJOhyFViMac
• Axios  - 'Activist David Hogg struggles in push for new generation of Dem leaders': https://www.axios.com/2025/10/02/david-hogg-pac-democrats-struggles
• AP - 'Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff raises $12 million for 2026 reelection': https://apnews.com/article/georgia-democrat-2026-senate-jon-ossoff-fundraising-74b9232ae5779f34d96f852db7eeb455

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Recorded on October 8, 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!

Read the September 2025, New York Times/Sienna poll here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/02/polls/times-siena-poll-registered-voter-crosstabs.html
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Mike Madrid and Chuck Rocha dive into the escalating government shutdown fight, asking who benefits, who gets blamed, and what it means for Democrats heading into the midterms. From debates over health care messaging to the political fallout for Trump, Schumer, and beyond, the hosts explore why Democrats may be “racing against time” and what’s at stake in Virginia, New Jersey, and the broader midterm elections. Our hosts also unpack Trump’s unprecedented gathering of military leaders along with the risks of his military deployment to Portland, while also drawing connections between country and ranchera music.
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Recorded Tuesday, September 30, 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!