The Rise of the Latino Conservative

The Nevada Latinos for Prosperity is obviously doing something right. At a recent town hall meeting headlined by congressional candidate Mark Amodei, I sat cramped in the corner of the tiny El Salvadorian restaurant Asi Es Mi Tierra on Wells Avenue and quietly observed the crowd. What I saw was interesting. Not only was the restaurant packed to the rafters, but the atmosphere was electric. Attendees of all ages passed around pamphlets, chatted enthusiastically, and several new attendees eagerly filled out voter registration forms.

“In Southern Nevada, the Latino community’s buying power is $12 billion a year,” says Elyse Monroy, 24, president of Nevada Latinos for Prosperity. “This is not a number to be taken lightly. Fifty-six percent of the Latino community are homeowners, and the third generation is native born. Our government is getting it wrong, but as our influence increases, they will have to stand up and take notice. Currently the government is burdened, our economy is troubled, and many people tend to look for a scapegoat. It’s really easy to blame someone who is here illegally but remember that not everyone who is a Latino or who is a Mexican is here illegally.”

Carlos Cardoso, an environmental health and safety manager and Cuban immigrant, recently joined Nevada Latinos for Prosperity to offer his talents as a bilingual American. “The Hispanic community—which is a misnomer because it’s a bunch of different countries and cultures being clumped together—are conservative by nature. Our values are more in line with those of the Republican Party, and we are trying to spread the word that this is the political party for us.”

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