David Giglio: Winning Over CA Hispanics with Authentic Patriotic Populism

The “bad hombres” and proud Latinas of the Central Valley gravitate toward our movement.

In California’s Central Valley, a potential political groundswell builds. The patriotic Hispanic citizens of this working class area rally measurably to the America First vision of cultural conservatism combined with populist economic nationalism. But, for this transformation to solidify, the right brand of new Republicans must become standard bearers for the GOP, and not the tired corporatists that long dominated party leadership in California, and many parts of America.

Looking at the national backdrop, President Donald Trump proved that prior GOP outreach to Hispanics lacked authenticity and rigor. For decades, Conservative Inc offered Hispanics a squish version of Democrat-lite policies, communicated with some awkward Spanish messaging. But, Trump the outsider smashed that model, and conveyed to Hispanic citizens a muscular agenda of American sovereignty, revitalized small business, and a socially conservative agenda that recognized the right to life and existence of two complementary sexes.

Lo and behold, Trump’s brash and genuine approach succeeded massively among Latinos over time. For example, in America’s most Hispanic county, Starr County, TX on the US-Mexico border, Trump got clobbered by 60% in 2016. Then, in 2020, he rallied an astounding 55% to nearly win this 96% Hispanic county. Next door, he did win Zapata County, rising 38% in only four years to victory in the 86% Latino county.

Looking at the present, and focusing on California’s Central Valley, the newly-drawn 13th Congressional District represents a solid chance for a big win for the patriotic populist movement. The majority Hispanic district lies just west of Fresno and includes Merced and Madera counties.  

It’s the kind of place where men wear cowboys hats, women drive pickup trucks, and families salute the American flag. Perhaps the most important evidence pointing to a GOP win in CA-13 is the 2021 recall vote over Governor Gavin Newsom. Though Newsom easily prevailed in that recall vote statewide, he lost the 13th District to Larry Elder. The independent, hearty citizens of the Central Valley never accepted Newsom’s draconian and unscientific lockdown measures, nor did they appreciate his aloof San Francisco ethos.

Hispanics of the Valley similarly scoff at the disastrous performance of Newsom’s ally in Washington, Joe Biden. Polling of CA-13 from Peoples Pundit Richard Baris reveals that Biden’s overall approval in the district is only 40%, with 56% disapproval. Among Hispanics of the Central Valley, whom Biden carried by 16% in 2020, the current approval rate is merely 45%, with a 49% Hispanic disapproval of Biden. That implosion, losing 20% net in only a year and a half, reflects the broad aversion for Biden among working-class voters of all races and ethnicities, including Hispanics.

But, this backdrop will mean little if the California Establishment GOP prevails. Their current favored candidate, endorsed by Kevin McCarthy, shows little ability to appeal to Central California Hispanics. Instead, the candidate catching fire in the Valley is clearly David Giglio. An outsider, former schoolteacher, and businessman, Giglio has worked the district relentlessly, knocking on doors and listening to voters in ways no Republican candidate has ever tried before in the area. Giglio appeals with an authentic, unapologetic mix of social conservatism, informed by deep Catholic faith, combined with an insistence on economic populism, which includes securing the border.

Contrary to media narrative, Giglio recognizes that hard-working Hispanics do not want to compete in the workforce against unjust and unlawful illegal migrant labor. In fact, a recent Trafalgar poll found that a stunning 65% of Hispanics favor closing down the border entirely because of the current teeming Biden border crisis.

Regarding the border, Giglio also stands firmly against America sending a mountain of money (that we do not even have) to Ukraine to guard its eastern border 6,000 miles away -- while our own US border is effectively vaporized. Unlike Kevin McCarthy and his chosen toady candidate in the 13th District, Giglio prioritizes helping Americans before escalating new wars being pushed by Biden, Pelosi, and the same establishment Republicans who created the Afghanistan and Iraq quagmires.

For these reasons, combined with David’s hustle across the district, additional polling from Baris shows that only Giglio will prevail in a Dem-leaning district in the Fall. Among Hispanics in the district, McCarthy-backed GOP candidate Duarte trails the likely Democrat opponent in a head-to-head matchup. But Giglio presently leads by 3% among Latinos. If Giglio advances beyond the June 7th primary, with additional resources and months more to campaign into November, that lead will surely extend as his name recognition grows.

The “bad hombres” and proud Latinas of the Central Valley already gravitate toward our movement. Let’s give them the kind of leadership they need to cement their political conversion, by supporting David Giglio.