Latino turnout up 174% in 2018 midterms elections, Democrats say

Hispanic community will have record level of representation in Congress with at least 42 members: 34 Democrats and eight Republicans

Lauren Gambino in Washington and agencies
Wed 14 Nov 2018 11.00 GMT

The Democratic party says a $30m investment in engaging Latino and other minority voters helped it achieve a net gain of 34 House seats and improve on 2014 turnout.

Ben Ray Luján, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said that compared to the previous midterm election, Latinos increased their participation by 174% in 2018. Pacific Islanders increased their numbers by 218% and African Americans by 157%.

“Latino voters played a pivotal role in taking back the House,” Luján said on a conference call hosted by the Latino Victory Fund, a political action committee. He said the Latino vote was especially consequential in a handful of House races across demographically diverse Sun Belt battlegrounds: Nevada, Arizona, Florida and Texas.

Luján, the first Latino to serve as DCCC chair, attributed high turnout among the Democratic base – which includes Latinos, millennials, African Americans, Asians and women – to the “unprecedented” $30m investment.

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