APOPKA, Fla. (AP) – The Democratic lieutenant governor candidates from Florida, Texas and Nevada all have colorful biographies: a Colombian-born business executive; a pharmacist-turned-veteran lawmaker; and a juvenile delinquent-turned-lawyer.
And all balk at the umpteenth “How does it feel to be the first Latina?” question.
“I’d like to get to a place where that’s no longer of interest,” said Annette Taddeo Goldstein, the running mate of former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, the Republican-turned-Democrat seeking to recapture his old job. Besides running a successful translation company, Taddeo is a powerful state party activist and a member of the Democratic National Committee’s executive committee. And yes, she is also the first Florida Latina to hold the No. 2 spot on the Democratic ticket.
Her sentiment is echoed by Texas state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte and Nevada Assembly Rep. Lucy Flores. All three are the first competitive Latinas to run for the post in their states.
After years of running few Latinos for statewide posts, Democrats are building a bench that better reflects the support they have in the Hispanic community: more than twice as many Hispanics identify as Democrats than Republicans nationally, according to polls. This year they are showcasing this bench in key states that not only have large Hispanic electorates but enough electoral votes to swing presidential elections. The shift is crucial for a party that often fails to get its Hispanic supporters to the polls.