Patricia Madrid Named to Obama's National Latino Advisory Council

Patricia Madrid with husband Mike Messina
at Obama event earlier this year

The Obama Campaign yesterday announced the formation of its National Latino Advisory Council, highlighting the continued growth of support Senator Obama is receiving in the Latino community nationwide. According to the campaign, the advisory council is made up of key labor, faith, community leaders, and elected officials from across the country and will serve as an advisory council for the campaign on issues important to the Latino community as well as play an active role reaching out and organizing Latinos in their communities and across the country. (See list below fold.)

Among those named to the Advisory Council is New Mexico's former Attorney General Patricia Madrid. Madrid is also one of three Democrats serving as co-chairs of the Democratic Platform Committee this year.

"I am honored to have the support of these key Latino leaders from across the country that have dedicated their lives to improving and advocating for better education for our children, access to health care, civil and voting rights and advancing economic opportunities not only for Latinos, but for all Americans," said Senator Obama. "With their support and advice, we will continue building our movement for change in every community."

A recent Pew Hispanic Center Poll had Senator Obama leading amongst Hispanic registered voters by 66 percent to McCain's 23 percent. The Obama campaign is focusing on winning the support of Latinos throughout the country and in particular in the key battleground states of New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Florida where Latinos comprise a large percentage of the voting population. 
 


Recently, the Democratic National Committee and the Obama campaign committed an unprecedented $20 million to engage and mobilize Hispanic voters for the November election. This money will include voter registration, paid advertising, staffing and mail, in an effort to promote engagement and mobilization among Hispanic voters and build on already overwhelming support from this key group of voters for the Democratic Party and Senator Obama.

"Latino voters will play a pivotal role in the November election," said Council Chair, Federico Peña. "The members of the advisory council bring a breadth of knowledge, experience and leadership and will provide important guidance to Senator Obama and our campaign about how to most effectively reach Latino voters. Senator Obama has earned a strong lead among Latino voters, but he isn't taking a single vote for granted. Latino voters are already seeing the contrast between Senator McCain's campaign of the past and exchanging principle for political expedience, and Senator Obama's campaign of change, hope, and opportunity." 
 


"I am proud to be a part of this advisory council," said Geoconda Arguello-Kline. "Senator Obama represents the kind of leadership that will fight for America's working families and will help create opportunities to empower our communities across America."

"As the Latino community continues to get to know Senator Obama, it is clear that he is the right candidate for our issues and is the best candidate to deliver the change that America desperately needs," said Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis. "Senator Obama not only understands the struggles and diversity of our community but because of his personal history and background he will stand with us and be a fighter for our issues. I look forward to continuing to work to elect Senator Obama as the next President of the United States."

National Latino Advisory Council Members

· Federico Peña, Chair, National Hispanic Advisory Council, Former Mayor of Denver and Former Secretary of Transportation, National Obama Campaign Co-Chair 


· Geoconda Arguello-Kline, President, Nevada Culinary Workers Union


· Congressman Xavier Becerra


· Adolfo Carrión, Bronx Borough President 


· Henry Cisneros, Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 


· Bishop Wilfredo De Jesús, Vice President of Social Justice, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference 


· Congressman Charlie González 


· Congressman Raúl Grijalva


· Congressman Luis Gutiérrez 


· Ambassador Luis Lauredo, Former Ambassador to the Organization of American States 


· Patricia Madrid, Former Attorney General of New Mexico 


· Eliseo Medina, Executive Vice President, Service Employees International Union 


· Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez 


· Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis 


· Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez

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