Texans, Latinos, and yes, Latino Texans. They were every bit present during the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. Their numbers may not have been large, but they made strong appearances, leaving memorable remarks.
The Los Angeles Times, which broke down the list of scheduled convention orators for us, found that the DNC had nearly twice as many and more diverse speakers than the RNC. Not surprising.
DNC had 133 speakers of which 43 percent were women and 44 percent were nonwhite, according to the LA Times. Meanwhile, the RNC had a total of 71 speakers, of which 35 percent were women and 20 percent were nonwhite.
So how many were Texan? Latino? And Texan Latino?
LA Times said six Latinos spoke at the RNC and I found more than 20 took the stage at the DNC. From Austinite Robert Rodriguez (in video above) to Ted Cruz, Latino Texans made for some of the most unforgettable appearances at both conventions.
And while the Los Angeles Times did not have a count of speakers from the Lone Star State, at least five spoke at the DNC and three at the RNC.
There’s no surprise to find the lists lopsided in Latino and minority representation. One need only look to the party platforms to see why. The parties differ on everything from health insurance coverage to college education with most Latinos favoring the Democratic positions. But perhaps the most stark difference is on immigration in which Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump calls for the deportation of 11 million undocumented immigrants and the building of a wall stretching nearly the length of the southern border between Mexico. Hillary Clinton, the Democrats’ candidate, calls for comprehensive immigration reform.
So, who exactly showed up at the conventions? Here’s a list — and links to some of the speeches:
AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION:
From Texas to the DNC:
- U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (Houston) | Speech
- Actress Eva Longoria (Corpus Christi) | Speech
- Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (Austin / San Antonio) | Speech
- U.S. Representative Joaquín Castro (San Antonio) | Speech
- Sheriff Lupe Valdez (Dallas) | Speech
Latino representation at the DNC:
- U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva of Arizona
- U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego of Arizona
- Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti of California
- Former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, California
- State Senate President Kevin de León of California
- U.S. Representative Xavier Becerra of California
- U.S. Representatives Linda and Loretta Sánchez of California
- State House Majority Leader Crisanta Duran of Colorado
- U.S. Representative Luis Gutiérrez of Illinois
- State Senator Ruben Kihuen of Nevada
- U.S. Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico
- U.S. Representative Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico
- Hillary for America Latino Vote Director Lorella Praeli
- Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, civil rights leader
- National Education Association president Lily Eskelsen Garcia
- Disability rights advocate Anastasia Somoza from New York
- Immigration advocates mother and daughter Karla and Francisca Ortiz
- DREAMer activist Astrid Silva
- Jose Arraigada, speaking about the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting
- Singer Demi Lovato
- Actress America Ferrara
- Musician Sheila E.
AT THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION:
From Texas to the RNC:
- Former Governor of Texas Rick Perry (Austin) | Speech
- U.S. Representative Michael McCaul (Austin) | Speech
- U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (Houston) | Speech
Latino representation at the RNC:
- U.S. Senator Marco Rubio from Florida
- Kentucky state senator Ralph Alvarado Jr.
- Libre Initiative spokesperson Rachel Campos-Duffy
