LaLo Montoya and the Unpredictability of the Nevada Senate Race: The Problem of Demographics and the State of the Art
Nevada is not just critical to the balance of power in this election–which party wins the Senate race, for instance, will almost certainly determine which party controls the chamber next year–but a potential bellwether for how competitive Republicans can be with this voting bloc in future elections. “I think it’s going to be a trend that is going to end up with the Latinos coming up and saying: ‘Okay, we know Democrats should no longer take our vote for granted.’ “I think that is one of the things that is going to be here to stay,” said Marquez.
Pressure is high for Senator Catherine Masto. Across the country, from Georgia to Pennsylvania to Arizona, Senate races are neck and neck, and Nevada is no different; a very slight Democratic advantage has given way to pretty much a dead heat. If this seat gives Senate control to the Republicans, it could change the direction of the country on major public policy issues, including abortion, and most obviously, on confirming judges.
Progressive activist LaLo Montoya estimates he’s knocked on 10,000 doors around Las Vegas in the months leading up to Election Day. “I know that what I’m doing is with the right intentions and with my heart on my sleeve, and I’m hoping to motivate and inspire people when I do this,” he told NPR.
Montoya is an organizer for PLAN Action, a progressive state-based group that focuses on helping low and moderate income families. Many Democrats in Nevada are on edge. “I’m nervous about everything, I think we do our best but there’s so much misinformation that we’re going up against.”
Republican campaigns are heavily focused on the economy in a state hit hard by inflation. Democratic voter Mikenchez concedes that life in this mostly working-class state is difficult right now, with second highest gas prices in the country and skyrocketing housing costs. “It’s high all over. You go anywhere. “It’s a problem.”
“Because Democrats just kind of seem like they’re not helping them out,” she said. “They’re not going to make people want to like join the (police force) by like demoting their pay.”
At the American enterprise institute, there is a scholar who has studied shifting demographic and how they can change politics. He says that the Democrats have a problem with Latinos because the party is not meeting their economic needs in a timely fashion, and many feel disconnected from the party’s values. “The Democratic Party has become a much more culturally liberal party, pretty much down the line: race, gender, crime, immigration, what’s taught in the schools, you name it.”
Democrats see Latinos at the core of their party’s future. The presidential nominating calendar needs to be changed to make Nevada the first-in- the-nation state in a few years.