The race to replace Senator Barbara Boxer could deliver the first Latina U.S. Senator in history: Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez.
Sanchez has been in Congress since 1996 and is now one of the highest ranking women in Washington, serving on the Homeland Security Committee. Now, Sanchez is in a Democrat-on-Democrat battle against California Attorney General Kamala Harris to replace Boxer. Under the new state election system, the two candidates with the most votes in the primary go on to the November election; the rest of the candidates, including three Republicans far out of contention, are then out of the race.
So it leaves us with a choice between two Democratic elected officials, both from minority communities, and both with many endorsements from fellow Democrats. On the surface, some might think it may not matter which one of the two wins.
Despite the similarities, though, there are differences between Sanchez and Harris. These differences have lead us to endorse Loretta Sanchez.
During 20 years in Congress, Loretta Sanchez has been a strong and vocal advocate for a higher federal minimum wage, one of the biggest economic issues facing Latinos. A disproportionate number of Latinos hold low-paying jobs paying minimum wage. Across the country, more than 6.8 million Latinos would benefit from a higher minimum wage.
This year, Loretta Sanchez also endorsed a California initiative that could raise the State’s minimum wage to $15. The measure, known as the Fair Wage Act of 2016, will be on the November ballot.
Loretta Sanchez has also been a strong advocate for immigration reform to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the United States. In 2014, Sanchez signed on to a discharge petition in Congress demanding a vote on HR 15, a bill called the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. Republicans had stalled a vote on the bill that would have created an earned pathway to citizenship. Republicans never put the bill up for a vote.
Sanchez is also one of the most experienced members of Congress on border issues, national security, and economic development. Her years of hands-on experience are invaluable in dealing with the complex issues of terrorism, border security, and immigration that intersect here at our U.S.-Mexico region.
On other important issues, Sanchez has also protected our civil rights in employment, adoptions, marriage, and privacy. She voted for reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, voted against making the Patriot Act permanent, and voted for increased funding for Mexico to fight drug trafficking.
Sanchez has a proven track record on the issues that the U.S. Senate is facing and will continue to face. Sanchez will be an effective US Senator on Day One.
For these any many more reasons, we should support Loretta Sanchez for US Senate.