Fixing Congress for Working-Class Power with Hector de la Torre | Latino Vote: Voices Artwork

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The Latino Vote

Fixing Congress for Working-Class Power with Hector de la Torre | Latino Vote: Voices

April 24, 2026 • The Latino Vote

0:00 | 59:57

Mike Madrid sits down with longtime California leader Hector De La Torre Romo for a powerful conversation on public service, immigration, corruption, and the future of working-class Latino communities.

Hector shares the remarkable story of his parents' journey from a dirt-floor shack in Guadalajara to a working-class home in Southgate, CA... and how their struggle shaped everything he's become. From translating real estate documents as a seven-year-old to serving in the California State Assembly, Hector shares a deeply personal story shaped by faith, struggle, and a relentless commitment to justice. His story is the Latino story.

They dive into:

The Latino migration experience through the gateway cities of Southeast LA County
How the closing of GM and Firestone plants transformed Southgate from 70% white to 80% Latino in just one decade
The shocking Southgate corruption scandal, and how Hector risked his life to fight it
His surprising family connection to Santo Toribio Romo, the patron saint of migrants
Why Mexican Catholicism is rooted in social justice, not social conservatism
His vision for Congress: Medicare buy-in reform, healthcare transparency, and government ethics
How Democrats can counter Trump's narrative with an affirmative agenda
The truth about ICE detention and the U.S. citizens being swept up in enforcement

Now Hector de la Torre is running for Congress in California's newly created 41st district. CA 41 is a blue-collar, majority-Latino seat that reflects the heart of Latino America.

Learn about Hector's campaign by visiting: https://www.hectordelatorreforcongress.com/

Recorded April 10, 2026

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