Redistricting decision hurts Latino voters.

Every 10 years, Washington undergoes redistricting to equalize population shifts in legislative districts. Many Eastern Washington Hispanics were thrilled at the results in the latest round — there was a new Yakima Valley district where Latinos formed 73% of the population and a majority of the eligible voters. But Democrats said it did not do enough, and in 2022, they sued.

Many Eastern Washington Hispanics see the lawsuit as outrageous.

The new map issued by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Lasnik on March 15 will disenfranchise many in my community.  It will also affect 13 legislative districts, 10 or 11 which are outside the Yakima Valley.  But the ones of most importance to me are where I live in Eastern Washington.

Lasnik is Democrat-appointed and is based in Seattle. He presumed to judge the state redistricting commission’s new maps based on how well they do in electing a so-called “Latino preferred candidate.”

And what is a “Latino preferred candidate” to Judge Lasnik?  That candidate would be a Democrat.

I am doubtful that an Anglo Seattleite is the best-qualified judge of what Eastern Washington Hispanics prefer. In the parlance of Seattle, how can such an arbiter understand the “lived experience” of those of us in the Yakima Valley?

Lasnik invited liberal Eastern Washington Hispanics into his courtroom to testify that they want to vote for a Democrat. But his curiosity about doing right for the Eastern Washington Hispanic community apparently ended there.

Judge Lasnik, here is what you should know: Eastern Washington Hispanics are hard-working. We are extremely family-oriented. Many of us have deep faith. We are very committed to our state and country.

We are also not the monolithic liberal voting bloc that those with a Seattle-centered worldview would like to imagine. We are Republicans. We are Independents. We are Democrats.

In fact, a March 5 Wall Street Journal column by William Galston looked at the recent NY Times/Siena national poll and found that while President Joe Biden prevailed among Hispanic voters by 21 points in 2020, he now trails by six with us. Only 31% of Hispanics approve of Biden’s performance as president; 67% disapprove. Only 20% of Hispanics describe themselves as liberal, 44% as moderate, and 30% as conservative.

In the conservative farming communities of the Yakima Valley, those conservative numbers could very well be even higher.

Judge Lasnik should have refrained from making generalizations or assumptions about the political affiliations of Hispanic individuals. It is crucial to recognize that the Hispanic community is diverse, consisting of people with varying political beliefs, ideologies and cultural backgrounds. Assuming that all Hispanics are Democrats not only undermines the complexity of our political views but also perpetuates prejudice and misunderstanding. 

As a responsible judicial figure, Lasnik has a duty to uphold the law. By avoiding such assumptions, he could have ensured that every individual, regardless of their ethnicity or background, received equal treatment under the law. 

Lasnik should have been mindful of the potential consequences of making unwanted assumptions about the political affiliations of Hispanics. If he had done so, he could have contributed to fostering a more inclusive and just society where everyone is valued and respected based on their unique qualities and beliefs.

We have been thrilled with the election of one of our own to the state Senate in the 15th Legislative District. Nikki Torres beat her opponent by 35 points. Finally, we have someone visiting our communities who worked in the fields alongside her family. She speaks our language. She shares our American dream.

And what is Sen. Torres’ failing in Judge Lasnik’s eyes? She is a Republican.

The map the judge approved takes the majority Hispanic district she represents which is marginally Republican (+1.8% Republican), and turns the majority Hispanic district massively Democratic (+12.0% Democrat).

And the topper? The judge favors a map that cuts the population of the district with the highest Hispanic citizen voting age in the Yakima Valley (from 52.6% to 50.2%) and throws Sen. Torres out of her district and into another one with a Republican incumbent. This will force her to give up her current seat and run a very difficult race in a new district. Alternatively, she could just finish her term in her current district and then be out of a job.

The judge says he needs to do this to satisfy the requirements of the federal Voting Right Act. The VRA is supposed to help minorities — not be used to disenfranchise them.

Judge Lasnik’s map is nothing less than partisan political gerrymandering, which in the name of helping Hispanics will actually disenfranchise many of us — including our outstanding Sen. Torres.

Gloria Mendoza is president/CEO of GMC Training Institute and was mayor of Grandview, Yakima County, 2018-23 and a city councilmember 2015-18.