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A quick disclaimer because we recorded this conversation before Congress advanced a deal to end the government shutdown with the help of several Democrats who broke the party line, but with democratic infighting back in the headlines, our conversation is just as relevant as ever.

It has been a year since Donald Trump won the elections, and last week voters elected candidates that are far, far far from what Trump represents in some places making history, like in New York City with Zoran Mamdani.

He wants to change stuff.

He doesn't want to be the same thing over and over.

He really relates to like millennials gen z.

But I also hope that there are more people like him who are actually advocating for a better future.

He will be the first Muslim and South Asian to become mayor of New York City.

The conventional wisdom would tell you that I am far from the perfect candidate.

I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older.

I am Muslim, I am a democratic socialist, and most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this.

Democrats also won big in places like Virginia.

In the race for governor of Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Winsome Earl Sears, flipping the office from red to blue.

California, a yes vote on Proposition fifty would open the door for Democrats to gain as many as five more seats in Congress and New Jersey.

New Jersey Governor elect Mikey Cheryl giving voice to what is undoubtedly a bounce back moment for Democrats in New.

Jersey and Latinos and Latinas as usual played a big role.

During the elections.

Earlier this week, Latino voters appear to have rebuked the Trump administration, shifting back towards the left.

Now, it's been a whirlwind.

So now that the emotions have settled, we're going to take a breath and look ahead from Fuduro Media.

It's Latino USA.

I'm Maria no Josa.

Today a panel of journalists joined me to discuss how last week's elections could impact the future of the Democratic Party and next year's midterms, and we're going to talk about the role that the elusive, so called Latino vote plays in all of this.

This moment, I gotta say, is a little bit of deja vous because last year, after the general elections, I was joined by the same journalists that are joining me today.

I'm joined by Paula Ramos, who's a journalist and political commentator, along with Jin Guerrero, who is a columnist and also an investigative journalist.

Now one year later, we decided to invite them back, this time to analyze elections that had a very different result.

We all know now that Republicans crushed it in twenty twenty four, lot of that with the support of Latino and Latina voters, and now this year Democrats are getting to take a victory lap.

So together we're going to sit down and figure out just what's going on.

But also this year we decided to invite our very own Nood Saudi.

She's a lead producer at our investigative unit here at Futuro and also with Latino USA.

Welcome to Latino USA, to our great roundtable here.

And my first question is, and I'll start with you, Baula, what is one your emotional state?

You know, I love to talk about this stuff, but also what is your like political state?

So just a quick round robin.

I feel hopeful in the sense that I think, for the first time in a long time, and I would even say for the first time maybe since since Barack Obama's election, there seems to be a movement that goes beyond part lines, right, and I think that's where Zoran is taking New York City.

Even as journalists not to be able to cover that and that feeling.

I think this is the first time, in honesty, in years where I've been able to feel that hope in people.

That's where I'm at.

Okay, she invoked Barack Obama.

I can't believe you did that, but okay I did.

We're gonna take it as a historical moment.

Yeah, I'm echoing Tala's message of feeling of hope.

You know, I was born and raised in New York City, so I've been here all my life and I'm a post nine to eleven millennial Muslim, so I think like coming up of age in that time.

That's just as Zahan Mamdani did, like you kind of like grow up with this idea that you don't expect to see this happen in our city, right, So yeah, I felt like definitely hopeful that night, and also a little wary of like the identity representation isn't everything, you know, Like hope should be a catalyst, sure, right, not.

Like the endpoint, Jean.

I feel hopeful too, cautiously optimistic.

I just think it's it's been such a long time since I think the Democratic Party has reckoned with the need for creativity and to think outside the box, and this election is very much a.

Wake up call to do just that.

I mean, the wins for Democrats were not endorsements of the Democratic Party.

They were acts of resistance against a political order that has for too long benefited an elite minority at the expense of everybody else.

And the candidates ran as their own people.

And I think this is hopeful because the Democratic Party desperately needs to look in the mirror and start thinking a lot more creatively in the ways that we saw in this race.

So Baola, you know New York City is it's the place where diversity, as it were, for lack of another term, it's all up against us.

We live it.

That's why we love New York.

But if you travel around the country, I mean, I see that same vibe, smaller vibe Kansas City, Louisville, Kentucky, Omaha, Nebraska.

It's so, what do you think that the lessons are for the Democrats, considering that New York is not such a kind of outlier as it were in terms of the electoral representation of the groups there.

I think New York has always been cast as this anomaly now, as this kind of progressive quote unquote radical liberal BASTIONI but I like to remind people that this is a city where the last two out of four mayors were elected as Republicans.

Right.

This is a city where not too long ago we elected a former cop, a former Republican.

Not only that Donald Trump's biggest swings across the country were right here in New York City, right from the Bronx to Queens.

And so I think in that sense, I think what there is to learn is from the way in which Zorn didn't just mobilize the traditional Democratic coalition, but what he added to that right, he added disaffected, disillusioned young people who are in dependent right, who are in a sense politically homeless, who have lost complete interests in both Democrats and Republicans.

Not only that, he was also able to mobilize Trump supporters.

Where he did that in the primaries, he was able to go into the precincts where Donald Trump did really well and he won over those people.

So what do you learn from that?

I think you're seeing at the national level Democrats tiptoeing around these very key moral issues.

Right are you against or are you for?

Immigration?

Are you against or are you for trans people?

It's simple, and I do think that Democrats need an ideological movement that is rooted in very clear moral parameters, and that, to me, is the only way.

To kind of defeat trump Ism.

And I think that, to me is where one can learn from New York City.

And again I mean young people.

My sense is that this generation does not want to stand by as a genocide is happening.

Obviously Mamdani did not shy away from that.

So what's your take away?

Also, you have another added part not only are you Palestinian Brooklyn woman, but you live on Staten Island.

Yeah.

I mean, you know, obviously we saw the results.

Staten Island overwhelmingly still went out for Cuomo, right, But when you look more deeply at like the districts, he was doing so well in the very immigrant heavy neighborhoods, like even in Staten Island, like the neighborhoods of like Clifton and like on the North Shore, where there's predominantly more immigrant communities.

And I think that speaks to how not only was he able to build like a diverse electorate, but like he had a diverse coalition, right of the people who went out and door knocked people from those same immigrant communities were the ones talking to the folks in the neighborhood and on the same level able to explain like clearly, like what Paul was saying, like clearly what his policies were and how he was going to carry out those solutions, you know, for people.

And I think that's what they resonated with.

And I think Democrats should walk away from this knowing that historically they have not been clear.

On their messaging.

Right, they flip floted on all of these issues and that doesn't resonate with voters.

So, Gene, you are in La.

A lot happened in California.

We could do a whole hour on what happened in California, but for a national audience, what is the big takeaway of voters in California and what do you think it means for what we really want to be talking about, which is twenty twenty six.

Yeah, I mean with Proposition fifty, you saw something similar with you know, with Mom Donnie being able to appeal to Trump voters as well as people who opposed Trump.

You saw California counties that backed Trump in twenty twenty four voting by double digits to remove their Republican representatives, you know, voting for Proposition fifty in Fresno, in Merced and Imperial County and San Bernardino.

And I think it just reflects this dissatisfaction with both political parties.

I think it would be a mistake to think that people voted for Prop fifty in California because they have faith in the Democrats.

What they have faith in is their own power to subvert the system as it is working right now, and that is what Prop fifty was about in California, and I think a big part of it was immigration, the fact that so many of these border patrol and ice arrests are targeting valued community members.

I think that wasn't the number one factor.

The number one factor was affordability and the economy and people wanting better lives and systems that serve them.

But I do think immigration was part of it because Trump said, like, you know, I'm going to deport all these people and it's going to make your life better, And the reality that people are seeing is that that's just not the case.

In fact, everything is getting more expensive, housing prices, food, et cetera.

We're going to take a quick break and coming up on let you know, USA.

It seems radical, whether you're Democrat or Republican, to be talking about amnesty, to be talking about a pathway to citizenship, but that is the only way to.

Stay with us, not deyes.

Hey, We're back with journalists Paul Ramos, Nur Saudi, and Jean Guerrero.

We're talking about the impact that Trump's mass deportations may be having on voters and on future elections.

So, Jean, you are an expert on Stephen Miller.

He is considered a mastermind of the mass deportations and anti diversity slash white supremacy rhetoric.

What do you think is going on in his mind?

If you will, how much do you think the White House is paying attention to what just happened as they prep for twenty twenty six.

Well, I think Miller's scared.

I would assume that they're paying very close attention to this race.

I don't think that this means that they're going to change strategies, because I think what they're counting on is the Democrats responding in the same clueless way that they have in the past and not creating a counter narrative on immigration.

And the way that they can do that is by tying immigrant rights to workers' rights.

Many Americans feel like their basic needs are not being met, so they don't want to think about this stranger when they're struggling.

But the thing is that this is not about strangers.

This is about millions of long time undocumented neighbors and valued community members who are feeding your family and cooking your food and caring for your elders.

And so I think given that immigration was a factor in these recent elections, and you are seeing the Latino vote responding accordingly, not because immigration is a number one issue, but because immigration and the economy and affordability, all of these things are tied up.

You need the Democratic Party to start reframing the immigration issue as a communal issue.

Yeah.

Look, I'm gonna be honest, I actually don't.

I don't think that Trump and Steven Miller are freaking out, and that freaks me out.

I've been nervous around the way in which I have seen a very calm White House that hasn't really been in this kind of emergency mode after what we saw two tuesdays ago.

And that tells me that there's a certain complacency for a couple of reasons.

Number one, because for them, this goes beyond the politics, right, like the mass uportations, for them is again rooted in this like ideological driven mission that defies the politics.

Also, the complacency tells me that they're.

Almost like not competing anymore, right, They're almost not like competing for constituents and competing for votes.

And that tells me that there is a long term plan to hold on to power in a way that they want is to kind of fall into the trap with this like illusion of democracy.

This is going really dark, really fast.

And I'm in a very pessimistic mode right now.

And call me crazy, but that's where my minds.

Are right now.

That's pretty dark.

That's why I'm having this tempered reaction.

I agree that there are some pretty sinister parts to this.

So I just want to make sure that we talk very specifically about the Latino vote in places that whether it was New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, all of these places where you saw as it were a kind of blue wave.

So Gene, your kind of takeaway from Latino voters?

Yes, and well, I think when I look at Proposition fifty, the fact that Imperial County, which is the most Latino county in California and also very much pro Trump, the fact that they voted yes on Prop fifty by a double digit margin, to me suggests that something really interesting is going on, like I really, and I think it kind of goes against this idea of there being a vibe shift among Latinos.

You know that the right word shift that we saw in twenty twenty four was about like some sort of fundamental realignment towards conservatism, like it the votes for Trump among Latino communities in California were a rejection of the establishment.

So I think that's the main sort of takeaway for me, that the politics of scapegoating worked with many working class voters, including Latinos, for a while because they wanted an easy solution to their problems.

But now you know, you're seeing mass deportations and the militarization of cities, and nobody's life is getting better at groceries are not getting cheaper, and it's like, oh, shoot, we were duped and now let's do something else.

Which means bout for me, right, that the Latino and Latina voter and the notion of a block is actually becoming more and more like your typical US white voter, which oftentimes votes against its own interests right solidly.

The black vote is in fact what delivered Mam Dannie his victory.

The black vote was essential.

But what is your sense of the takeaway nationally about Latino and Latina voters and how do you think that your takeaway plays into twenty twenty six.

Yeah, I mean, I think the deeper narrative is that this historically blue voting block maybe that is now politically homeless, and that feels more independent is up for grabs and now that was again does not mean that Democrats won the Latino vote, and it does not mean that Democrat Latino voters are now suddenly back to the Democratic Party.

It just means that we are persuadable and even someone like Trump can win us over.

Hence the the US voter nud full of contradictions.

Yeah, perpetually changing its mind.

It's hard to understand.

Yeah, I think something interesting to see is how you know, even though again like Staten Island went for Cuomo overwhelmingly the black and Latino neighborhoods in Staten Island that did go for Cuomo in the primary, they flipped to Mamdani in the general election.

And I think that kind of speaks to how he was able to have this very clear, consistent messaging on affordability, as we saw with like the Democratic elections in other places this past election, you know, in Virginia and Jersey, even though they ran their campaigns very differently from Mandani, these Democrats were still speaking to that core issue of like affordability, which I think, yeah, made an impact.

Will be right back, Yes, Hey, we're back.

Let's jump into our conversation again.

All right, So the morning after the election, I looked up the definition of radical.

It means to go to the route.

You know, if it weren't for radical politics, there wouldn't have been a revolution in the United States and a civil war in the United States.

So Bow, if you were to give counsel, then at one point you did give counsel to the Democratic Party, what would you say that a more radical politics actually looks like.

I would actually, I wouldn't use the word radical.

I would say that, And I think that's the that's the problem right that we have been And that's why I mentioned Barack Obama when we started this conversation, because Obama was to a one point considered radical, and the only reason he was considered radical is because he allowed people to dream beyond what was physically present and impossible.

So I think that's what Zoren is doing in a way right where he is, he is basically saying what what Trumpezzo has done, which is there's a way in which you can imagine a better life outside of the system, right where every single person can afford the same opportunities.

And there's absolutely nothing radical about that idea.

Now, I think now Republicans.

What we're seeing is that they we are about to enter a massive, massive narrative, ideological warfare where this city will be deemed a radical communist city.

So I think I'm going to stop using the word radical moving forward and kind of normalize the politics that we're seeing in New York.

You know, all right, Bob, what's your sense of what radical politics could look like?

Assuming we continue to use that word for now?

I mean, yeah, I think like going also like talking about like the definition of radical in terms of politics, right, Like it has always meant just change, changed to like how a society's structure and system operates, whether it's the political system or whatever.

And I feel like for so long Democrats have been rejecting change, and yet, like all I said, like issues like affordable housing, healthcare, like raising the minimum wage, like they're called radical, but they're like actually super popular issues.

I guess it was a really big issue in twenty twenty four and in this election, and that like the majority of Americans agreed on not even just Democrats, And so by definition that can be radical, right, Like it's the majority, Like it's not friends.

The people who are friends here are like the Democratic leaders who are like refusing to listen to their base.

Free buses nationwide, Gene, get it of a free bus, free childcare nationwide.

It's a concept, Gene.

Just quickly.

Your sense of radical politics for for the country is for Latino and Latin have voters.

Yeah, I mean, people are upset about economic inequality and you cannot address that when you have a manufactured underclass.

That you are ignoring.

And right now it sounds radical.

It seems radical, whether you're a Democrat or Republican to be talking about amnesty, to be talking about a pathway to citizenship.

All of these things sound so radical, like why even bring them up?

But that is the only way.

I mean, you need a pathway to citizenship for the millions of people whose wages are suppressed and as a result of that suppression, it contributes to economic inequality.

Emancipating that manufactured underclass is the only way to bring economic equality to working families across the United States.

And Democrats are so.

Afraid of even approaching that issue.

And that is why Miller has been able to Stephen Miller has been able to just monopolize the American imagination when it comes to immigration because he links it to the issues that people care about, and it's not just about you know, let's do the right thing for the stranger.

Let's be nice to the stranger.

They're not strangers.

Until we recognize how fundamentally linked our ability to progress economically is to theirs, then we're going to be stuck in the same place.

Okay, So again, full transparency.

What we are celebrating at Futuro Media Latino USA is not the win of any particular candidate or party.

We are celebrating engagement in the democratic process, and in particular, seeing Latino and Latina latinx Latine voters engaged, especially young voters, is super important.

But in the vibe of celebrating what's your go to song right now?

Jin Gerero, that's making you feel like, yeah, what is it?

Oh my goodness, my go to song?

Lately?

I've actually been listening to the new Rosalia album.

Yes, I'm absolutely loving really key.

Yeah.

I don't know why.

It's just like the joyousness, the depth, the celebration of multi lingualism.

That's the song I'm listening to your go to song?

Oh my god.

If I'm gonna be honest on the show, it's gonna sound so cliche, because like, I'm like a single with a woman, and this is not why I'm listening to this song, and it's not an invitation for like d ms.

But the very song Where's My Husband is so good and I can't get out of my head and I'm obsessed with it right now.

So yeah, Where's my Husband?

That is cracking me up.

I'm with Geane.

I've been obsessively listening To's last album.

I think it's spectacular and my favorite song is like you Lad.

I think it is beautiful.

I'm obsessed.

I love it, okay, and mine is okay, I'm late to the game.

But oh my god, doom Machalie, Oh my god, is that nude.

Just like a super popular old Bollywood song?

Okay, I have like I just I just discovered it.

Just is so thank you so much, Boo, thank you so much, Gene, thank you so much, Nude.

Thank you, thank you.

My guests were journalists.

Her latest book is called Defectors, The Rise of the Latino Far Right and what it Means for America.

Also journalist Jan Guerrero.

Her latest book is hate monger Stephen Miller, Donald Trump and the White nationalist agenda, and we were also joined by our very own Nur Saudi, who's a lead producer for Turo Media's investigative unit and for Latino USA.

This episode was produced by Rebecca Evarra and Roman Marquez.

It was edited by Benni, Lei Ramirez and our managing editor Fernando Echavari.

It was mixed by Leah shaw Dameran.

The Latino USA team also includes Julia Caruso, Jessica Ellis Rinaldo, Leanos Junior, Stephanie Lebau, Luise Luna, Julieta Martinelli, Monica Moreles Garcia, JJ Carubin, Adriana Rodriguez and Nancy Trucchuillo.

Benile and I are executive producce ducers and I'm your host Marieno Josa.

Latino USA is part of Iheart's Mike Worduda podcast network.

Executive producers at iHeart our Leo Gomez and Arlene Santana join us again on our next episode and in the meantime, look for us on all of your social media, and dear listener, don't forget to join Futuo Plus.

You'll get to listen to episodes.

At free and you get bonus content and cheesemey and also you're gonna feel so good about supporting Fututo Media, which we know you love as that Approxima not bayes Chao.

Latino USA is made possible in part by the Ford Foundation, working with visionaries on the front lines of social change worldwide, the Tao Foundation, and the Heising Simons Foundation, unlocking knowledge, opportunity and possibilities.

More at hsfoundation dot org.