Latino

New campaign ties moderate House Republicans to MAGA

In this Nov. 6, 2018 file photo, a man wears a hat with President President Donald Trump's campaign slogan in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

A coalition of immigrant and Latino advocacy groups is reviving a bilingual campaign drawing connections between moderate Republicans in the House and former President Trump’s closest ideological orbit.

The campaign, “Dime Con Quién Andas/Show Me Your Friends” — or “Dime” for short — first ran in 2022, targeting six Republican House candidates.

Dime is a product of America’s Voice, a top progressive immigration advocacy group, with Voto Latino and Mi Familia Vota, two progressive Latino voter engagement groups.

The 2024 version will focus on GOP Reps. Juan Ciscomani (Ariz.), John Duarte (Calif.), Mike Garcia (Calif.), David Valadao (Calif.), Monica De La Cruz (Texas), Jen Kiggans (Va.), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Ore.) and Mike Lawler (N.Y.); former Rep. Mayra Flores (R-Texas); and Derrick Anderson, the GOP nominee to replace retiring Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.).

The campaign will highlight the political and ideological links between those Republicans and Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025.

“In life, as in politics, we know we can judge people by who they align themselves with. Latinos see what MAGA extremists stand for, and they know who they are standing with,” said Héctor Sánchez Barba, president of Mi Familia Vota.

“Now more than ever, we must educate our community about what politicians stand for and hold them accountable to the policy priorities of the Latino community. This cycle Mi Familia Vota is asking a simple question, Dime Con Quién Andas, and we are saying ya basta to MAGA extremists and those who they align themselves with.”

The phrase “dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres,” — loosely translated, “show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are” — is a classic Spanish refrain referenced in “Don Quixote” that’s become an unofficial motto of Latino progressives in the Trump era.

The three groups behind Dime have often condemned Trump’s rhetoric on immigration and the implicit or explicit support it receives from moderate Republicans.

“While some Republicans want to cast themselves as moderates to the voters in their congressional races, those same candidates are taking party and leadership money and will support the party and leadership if elected, so they are part of the apparatus that will execute mass deportation if they win the White House or try to block progress on immigration reform if they lose the White House,” said Mario Carrillo, campaigns director for America’s Voice.