Recent reports suggest that more and more Latino voters are switching to or leaning toward the Republican Party. If true, this could be beneficial to one particular candidate in a Pennsylvania primary happening later this month. More importantly, it could provide voters with an exciting change of pace from the typical run-of-the-mill Republican candidates who haven’t fared well in the past two elections.
Regina Mauro, a Latina running for office in Pennsylvania, could change the face of Republican politics in Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District. The district, once a solid Republican stronghold, was redrawn in 2018 by Pennsylvania’s partisan Democratic Supreme Court. The resulting boundaries contain more Democratic voters than Republicans. This led to Democrat Chrissy Houlahan winning the seat in 2018. It was the first time a Democrat had held the seat in 15 years.
Mauro is running for Congress, looking to unseat Houlahan in Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District. However, first, she has to win the Republican nomination in Pennsylvania’s primary on May 17. While currently not considered the favorite to win the primary, her candidacy should be receiving more attention — a lot more attention. Especially if Republicans want to challenge social issues in Congress seriously.
First, consider the Latino voting bloc’s reported shift toward Republicans. A recent study by the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Battleground Survey Project revealed significant gains with Latinos for Republicans since the last election. What once was nearly a 2-to-1 Democratic advantage among Hispanics has dwindled to a 44% Democrat to 37% Republican edge. If true, Latinos could play a pivotal role in the future of the Republican Party and taking control of Congress.
In Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, Latinos comprise a little over 16% of the district’s population, the largest number of minorities living in the area. While the majority are registered Democrats, in a general election, this group could cross party lines and vote for the candidate who offers their community representation in D.C. And, if successful, Mauro’s election would be historic as she would become the state’s first person of Latino origin ever elected to Congress.
Next, consider her political beliefs. Mauro is a supporter of the many social conservative issues that are at the forefront of the political battles occurring right now throughout the country. Her website describes her as a “strict Constitutional conservative with a backbone, someone who has not just talked the talk but walked the walk her entire life, who understands that government IS the problem and never the solution.” She claims she will be a strong fighter on these social problems, which many Republican candidates in Philadelphia’s collar counties so quickly abandon or are afraid to support.
Furthermore, Mauro’s candidacy comes at an important time in our country’s history. While abortion has always been a hotly contested issue, the recent leak of a Supreme Court ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade could fundamentally transform the country. Mauro’s unabashedly pro-life stance could be a substantial factor against pro-abortion Democrat Chrissy Houlahan.
“While we don’t know yet exactly what the court will decide, I believe Roe was wrongfully decided,” Mauro told me. “If the reports are accurate, the court is not deciding abortion laws; it’s turning the issue back over to the state legislatures where the matter should have always been. I remain pro-life and will work to protect the unborn.”
As a candidate, Mauro holds strong conservative values and has a crossover appeal that other Republicans in the primary do not have — things that could make her the ideal candidate in a general election against Houlahan. First, her aforementioned heritage would theoretically appeal to Latino voters. She would also appeal on other cultural issues to voters of other races and ethnicities. As a racial minority, a woman, and an outspoken critic of abortion and illegal immigration, her candidacy would neutralize Democratic claims of being a sexist, racist, misogynist, or xenophobe — claims that Houlahan has repeatedly made while in office.
Moreover, another important topic in the midterm elections will be illegal immigration. President Joe Biden and the Democrats have created an unmitigated disaster along the border. A record number of illegal immigrants are entering the country without the Biden administration doing anything to secure the border. Frequently, as Republicans speak out against illegal immigration, Democrats like to accuse them of racism or xenophobia. Such attacks would not stick with a Latina candidate; Mauro would have much more credibility on the issue than the agenda-driven Houlahan. And, given that Mauro is strongly against illegal immigration, voting her into office would be a vote for securing the border should Republicans take back control of Congress.
With Pennsylvania’s primary right around the corner, Regina Mauro offers voters an interesting alternative to the other Republicans running in Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District. Her strong social conservative values and ethnic background could give Republicans a chance to compete in this court-mandated, Democrat-heavy district. She’ll never appeal to the rabid left-wing voter, no Republican will, but she has the potential to attract independent voters who have watched Houlahan and Democrats sabotage America’s greatness.
