“Democrats didn’t know how to read us. Latinos, like other communities, care about the economy.”
For Terry ‘El Terrible’ Cortez, what happened in the presidential elections was to be expected. The economic situation is no better than it was years ago, and people are looking to improve their lives.
“Kamala Harris didn’t know how to connect with Latinos. They thought of us as a solid block of voters they had in the bag. They thought that by bringing Los Tigres del Norte, Kate del Castillo, or Maná, they were going to convince us. They didn’t know how to read us. Latinos, like other communities, care about the economy. We want to improve, and so we went for the ‘money,'” says the host of Los Angeles’ most listened-to morning radio show, El Terrible Show on 97.7 KLAX La Raza.
Cortez, who has found success in radio, is also a prominent voice advocating for and participating in the issues that affect the Latino community. If anyone understands them, it’s ‘El Terrible.’
“Trump’s message finished off the Democrats. ‘Are you better off than you were four years ago?’ he asked. And that message stayed with the country, not just Latinos. Now, many want to blame Latinos for voting for Trump. The Democrats failed them, and now they’re seeing the consequences. The voice of Latinos was this: ‘We want things to get better,’” Cortez adds.
If Harris had won, things would have stayed the same. With Trump, things will stay the same. What we depend on as Latinos is our work. We have to keep pushing forward. Work hard to succeed, that’s our history,” he concludes.
According to this radio personality, Harris chose the wrong message. While she focused on abortion, Trump focused on the economy. For Cortez, the main issue today is the economy.
Before the elections, El Terrible Show conducted a poll, and the answers it received were the same. For Cortez, the Democrats didn’t want to listen.
“They told the Democrats, it was a disaster of a campaign, and now they’re going to face a strong Republican Party that, if they’re smart, with two or three initiatives, they will win over Latinos. If they don’t, in four years, the Democrats will be back. They just need to pick a few benefits for migrants, like legalizing agricultural workers, for example, and they will have the immigrant community with them. They have a great opportunity,” he says.
The future of California is hanging in the balance. According to Cortez, the state is becoming a ‘swing state.’ Governor Gavin Newsom has already started his presidential campaign and will see how he can stop the migration of Latinos toward the Republicans.
“My final message to the community: If Harris had won, things would have stayed the same. With Trump, things will stay the same. What we depend on as Latinos is our work. We have to keep pushing forward. Work hard to succeed, that’s our history,” he concludes.
El Terrible: “Everyone has a difficult life, but it is possible to overcome it”
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