Texas Democrat targets Latino men with boxing-themed ad

The advertisement highlights Hinojosa’s policy proposals – protecting public schools, restricting data center expansion, and lowering taxes – contrasting them with what she characterizes as Governor Greg Abbott’s focus on wealthy donors and corporations.

This strategy reflects a broader Democratic effort to connect with Hispanic men through sports and culturally relevant programming, moving beyond traditional political advertising. Ruben Gallego successfully employed a similar approach during his 2024 Senate campaign in Arizona, engaging Latino men through boxing events, rodeos, and community gatherings. Gallego ultimately defeated Republican Kari Lake, becoming Arizona’s first Latino U.S. senator, despite Trump carrying the state by a significant margin.

Governor Abbott is also actively courting Latino voters, releasing a Spanish-language advertisement portraying Hinojosa as overly liberal and emphasizing his wife Cecilia’s role as the state’s first Hispanic first lady. Hispanics represent roughly 40% of Texas’ population and are expected to play a key role in Hinojosa’s bid to become the state’s first Democratic governor in over three decades.

While a recent CBS News poll showed Abbott leading by four points, Hinojosa holds a substantial 23-point lead among likely Hispanic voters. However, this demographic shifted significantly in 2024, with 55% of Latino Texans voting for Donald Trump, and Latino men favoring him by a nearly two-to-one margin.

Gina Hinojosa attributes Trump’s 2024 success to his message that the political system is rigged, a sentiment she believes resonated with Texans feeling overlooked. Democrats hope this shift is temporary, citing national polling trends and high primary turnout in heavily Latino areas. Chuck Rocha, a Democratic strategist advising both Hinojosa and Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, notes widespread frustration among Hispanic voters regarding cost-of-living issues. Despite this, Daniel Garza of the LIBRE Initiative claims there is a lack of enthusiasm for Democratic policies in South Texas.