Summary: The odds are long that all four Latina Republicans will make it to Capitol Hill. But they just might. And when they get there, they will already have a monicker waiting for them. The Democrats have The Squad. Meet "The Quad."
With recently reshaped voting districts and money pouring in from Republicans outside of Texas, the once solidly Democratic Rio Grande Valley is shaping up to be a battleground in this year’s midterm elections.
Former President Donald Trump is partly responsible, energizing his base of supporters there and drawing focus to the region. But much of the credit for the shift actually goes to the Republican Latinas who have been building momentum for the GOP in the Valley for years, and some of them are now running for office.
Texas Monthly’s Jack Herrera has been following the story for Texas Monthly magazine, and tells Texas Standard about some of the high-profile Latina candidates, how Republicans have grown their base in the region in recent years and what’s at stake for Republicans and Democrats amid this political shift.
This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity:
Texas Standard: You wrote, “Latinos are pushing a political rev