Democrats from all five districts are poised to take the reins of three important caucuses at the Capitol representing Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans — just as their party grapples with the results of last month’s election.
“We’re really excited, this wasn’t planned,” said Queens Rep. Grace Meng, who was elected to lead the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who represents Manhattan and the Bronx, will lead the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Rep. Yvette Clarke of Brooklyn will lead the Congressional Black Caucus.
Their rise to these positions is in part a sign of the increasing seniority and tenure of New York lawmakers in Washington, not to mention the diversity of the city they represent.
Their elevation comes as New Yorkers already hold the top Democratic positions in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
“Under the leadership of our (House Democratic) Leader Hakeem Jeffries and our (Senate) Minority Leader (Chuck) Schumer, we will be able to ensure that we are working with our federal partners – that they “It’s about Congress or the White House – to make sure New York has the resources it needs to protect itself,” Meng said.
Thoughts on the 2024 Elections
The trio of Democrats will also assume their new roles just as their party faces the results of the 2024 presidential election, where polls have shown that Americans in those three demographic groups are — to varying degrees — more willing to vote for Donald Trump. and Republicans than four years ago.
Asked if he thought Democrats could bring more Latinos back into the party fold in the future, Espaillat said, “There’s no doubt about it, our core values are with the Democratic Party.” »
Reflecting on last month’s election, Espaillat said Hispanic voters felt the impact of rising costs and argued his party needed to improve its messaging on economic issues.
But, he also noted, Trump’s planned migrant expulsions will likely have a considerable impact. “When they deport one of your cousins, when they deport your uncle, things will change dramatically,” he said.
Clarke told Spectrum News that black communities have been intentionally flooded with misinformation and the Black Caucus must fight back.
“We need to make sure that our people are getting information from trusted sources and that we are also countering programs in terms of what is made available for consumption,” she said.
Meng, who will lead a coalition that she says has endured a difficult few years with rising Asian hatred amid the COVID pandemic, says her party should do more to engage Asian voters where they are.
She cited as success stories Long Island Democrats Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen, who flipped Republican seats in Congress last year.
“They didn’t just release a campaign text in Indigenous languages, but they met people where they are. They were eating dim sum, visiting mosques, visiting temples,” she said.