The Latino Vote
The Latino Vote Podcast brings together the most sophisticated Latino voices in the country to provide you with insightful, accurate, unbiased, and timely information relating to the voting patterns and inclinations of the Nation’s Hispanics. Mike Madrid, a brilliant GOP strategist who has worked for several U.S. presidents, and who is also the founder of the 2020 “game-changing” Lincoln Project, and Chuck Rocha, the senior strategist of the Bernie Sanders Campaign and the most impactful political consultant in the country in the last quarter century, face off with host, Jason Villalba, a three-term former member of the Texas Legislature and now the respected Chairman of the Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation. Together, they bring you a ringside seat to a “no-holds barred” discussion of, The Latino Vote.
The Latino Vote
Latino Campaign 102: How Rep. Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) succeeded in one of America's largest districts.
Chuck Rocha and Mike Madrid welcome Congressman Gabe Vasquez (D-New Mexico CD02) for a wide-ranging conversation about family, fishing, and forging political wins in a red-leaning, majority-Latino district. From adobe bricks to capitol halls, Rep. Vasquez shares the unlikely story of his rise from a Mexican-American farm family and part-time vacuum cleaner salesman to city councilor and the strategy behind how he became the first Democrat in over 50 years to hold his seat.
Tune in to hear:
- Borderland insights: What it’s like to represent a district larger than Pennsylvania—containing 108 miles of the U.S.–Mexico border.
- Conservation in Congress: How he brought Gila trout, Mexican gray wolves, and other conservation legislations to Washington.
- Campaign secrets: How fishing trips, localized Spanish, and a deeply rooted ground game helped Gabe flip a Republican seat twice.
- The working-class story: Why Latinos aren’t “left” or “right,” but the backbone of America’s workforce—and where Democrats go from here.
- Insider announcement: Chuck’s “Brown & Bougee” brunch at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, honoring journalists Sabrina Rodriguez and Adrian Carrasquillo!
Whether you’re a political junkie, conservation nerd, or just love a good fish tale, this episode delivers the real-life playbook of winning trust—and votes.
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Recorded April 23, 2025.
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Learn more about Rep. Gabe Vasquez:
- https://vasquez.house.gov/
- https://www.facebook.com/RepGabeVasquez/
- https://bsky.app/profile/repgabevasquez.bsky.social
- https://x.com/repgabevasquez
- https://www.instagram.com/repgabevasquez/
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