In the 2018, 2020 and 2022 general elections, more Latina candidates ran in national races as major party candidates than at any other point in U.S. history and won election to Congress. Half the field of Latina candidates emerged from just two states: California and Texas. California continued to elect and re-elect more Latinas to Congress; however, more Latina candidates emerged from Texas during this period, including a growing contingent of Latina Republicans.
Between 2017 and 2023 the number of Latinas elected to Congress doubled, and by the start of the 118th congressional session there were 19 Latinas serving as voting members in national office, including 13 Latina Democratic House Representatives, 5 Latina Republican Representatives, and one Latina Democrat serving in the U.S. Senate. Despite significant growth at the national level, Latinas constitute only 2.8% of Congress and continue to be dramatically under-represented at the highest levels of U.S. politics. Moreover, Latina candidates continue to face barriers in their candidacy, including opposition from other Latinas and racialized and gendered obstacles within their own party, as well as escalating forms of harassment and political violence intended to block their candidacy or undermine their careers in national office.
A key response to the barriers that many Latina congressional candidates encountered was to form alternative modes of support including creating their own mentoring, fundraising, and marketing networks and organizations. These alternative modes of organizing built upon their own intersectional identities and extended principally to other Latinas and other women of color. The support also emerged in forms of comadrismo and a community of care for each other and for other Latinas that extended to friendships, political advocacy, and socio-emotional care. Examining the emergence of Latinas as national candidates within both major parties in the past three election cycles reveals both new pathways and possibilities and new obstacles and challenges to their election. Ultimately, understanding these challenges and opportunities are particularly important as we look for ways to expand democratic representation for Latinas in the country and to expand the pipeline of Latina leadership beyond local and state office to national office.