Former 2020 presidential candidate Julián Castro thinks the Democrats may lose future support from Latino voters even if they win the upcoming election.
Castro told “Axios on HBO” that if Latinos don’t back the Democrats, it could "benefit the Republicans in the years to come."
Castro’s comments come as the Democratic National Convention is taking place. Some have criticized the events for not featuring enough Latino speakers, according to Axios.
Castro, who was the only Latino presidential candidate this election cycle, was not asked to be one of the featured, solo speakers, Axios reports.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is only speaking for one minute, per the DNC.
A group of 225 DNC delegates asked for her to "be given enough time to demonstrate respect for her and the constituencies she represents."
According to Axios, Latinos will be the largest non-white voting block for the first time in history during the 2020 election.
Castro, and others, say they are worried that the Democratic Party isn't investing enough in the Latino community. He said often the Latino community is viewed as an “afterthought.”
"I think that we could win the battle and lose the war," Castro said of the Democrats’ chances for the 2020 election. "We could win in November, but you could see a potential slide of Latino support for Democrats."
He said the Latino community overall has been “demonized, especially in the era of Donald Trump, as other, as foreign," Castro said.
"I think in every way in American society ... there's this image of the Latino community as though everybody got here five minutes ago," he said.
Castro said he is sure Biden will capture the Latino vote and win the election. But he warned that to do so, the Biden campaign needs to “make sure that they are doing everything they can to reach out to a community that already has one of the lowest rates of voting, that needs to be brought into the fold."
Castro said that could help win key states like Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
"But maybe more importantly, ensuring that the Latino community is a robust part of this coalition going forward" is the goal, he said. "Or else you're going to see a slide that will benefit the Republicans in the years to come."
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