Hispanic voters are natural conservatives. Reagan knew. GOP needs to prove it again

President Ronald Reagan famously told Hispanic adviser Lionel Sosa that Latinos were Republicans who "just don’t know it yet." President Donald Trump’s breakthrough in 2024 demonstrated that potential.Hispanic voters registered among the largest shifts toward Republicans — then swung sharply against us in 2026, reversing much of that progress.Hispanics did not abandon faith, family and freedom.

Our party gave too many reasons to question whether we were governing by those principles.I understand the work of rebuilding trust.In 2020, I defeated a Democratic incumbent and flipped a congressional district from blue to red.

As a career firefighter, fire chief and mayor, I learned that confidence comes from service and results.MAMDANI MESSAGE TO RESIDENTS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH ICE RESULTS IN VIRAL INTERNET BACKLASH: 'TREASON'Trump delivered extraordinary results securing the border.His administration restored consequences for illegal entry and backed our Border Patrol agents.

Federal officials reported historically low crossings and zero Border Patrol releases throughout fiscal year 2026.Republicans had a signature accomplishment to showcase.A protester lifts a sign in front of a dumpster that was set on fire during a protest against federal immigration arrests on June 11, 2025, in Seattle, Wash.

(Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)MULLIN VOWS ‘ZERO CHANGE’ ON IMMIGRATION AFTER REPUBLICANS SUFFER CRUSHING MIDTERM LOSSESYet indiscriminate immigration enforcement undermined public support for it.Enforcement against longtime, peaceful residents shifted attention from dangerous criminals to frightened families.

Democrats gained an opening we should never have given them, and the president’s signature accomplishment was turned into a liability at the ballot box.I warned about this before the election.Americans wanted violent criminals deported, gangs dismantled and neighborhoods protected.

They did not vote to deport abuelas who spent decades raising families and cont...