The second Trump administration has been a resounding success by one key metric: exhausting the people’s political will. After 250 years of America as the global beacon of democracy, President Trump has beaten down the spirit in many of us. He imposed worldwide tariffs that ultimately proved either unlawful or unsuccessful. His on-again, off-again tactics in the Iran war resemble those of a toxic boyfriend more than a commander in chief. He’s abandoned any pretense that he cares about affordability and the working class.

Where does that leave Americans looking for national leadership?

Even if we tune out the tired shock value of the president’s antics, the real-world consequences of his actions are a gut punch. Masses of people have lost access to health care, been attacked or unlawfully detained by ICE agents, and they still have to stress over surging gas prices and household bills.

We desperately need a change. America needs a leader with a moral compass, who cares about the working class, and can reignite the American Dream.

What America needs is a Latino President.

Polls show that a significant number of Americans think the American Dream is dying and out of reach. But Latinos, especially from immigrant families, generally still believe in the promise of America. Our leaders exemplify why that dream is alive.

Consider the beautiful story of Senator Alex Padilla’s family. His father worked as a cook in Los Angeles diners, and his mother as a house cleaner. They instilled the immigrant’s work ethic in him, and he worked to support his studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After college, he turned to public service and climbed the ladder from local councilman to being the first Latino to represent California in the United States Senate. It’s an inspiring story about making it in America if you work hard and dream big. It would be refreshing and reinvigorating for the country to hear a heartfelt message of hope.

The country needs a leader who understands the working-class struggle, as middle America deals with rising costs and increasing debt.

While Trump was born into wealth, major Latino presidential contenders mostly come from working families and know what it means to work for a living. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a serious presidential candidate, proudly worked as a bartender before she ran for Congress. She understands the daily grind, the worry, and the hopes of the country’s working men and women. Her rallies draw huge crowds that embrace her vision of redistributing power from corporations and the ultrawealthy back to the people. When asked about running for higher office, she responded, “…my ambition is way bigger than that. My ambition is to change this country.” She sounds like presidential material already.

This current political moment reeks of the President’s moral failings.

His cruel treatment of immigrants strikes at the moral fiber of the country itself, a country where civil rights are supposed to protect the marginalized. We have sunk to new political lows, and someone must rise to remind the country, and the world, what American leadership can be. The chaos enveloping the Latino community has emboldened Latino voices across the country.

Who else could see so clearly the need for change? Who else would feel as deeply for those suffering? Who else could speak as profoundly to the disillusioned? A Latino candidate would have the story, the experience, and the determination to see this country out of the darkness.

A few other Latinos fit the mold.

This political moment has elevated Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego, Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. All three represent politically moderate states and have a demonstrated ability to connect with working people.

Sen. Gallego boosted his profile after the 2024 election, with his “big-ass truck” theory translating the practical political needs of Latino men. Governor Lujan Grisham touts her work reducing poverty in New Mexico by investing in education and health care. Sen. Cortez Masto proudly talks about her union family upbringing, and as the first and only Latina Senator, she continues to advocate for common sense immigration reform.

All of these Latinos have a story to tell about themselves, about us, and about the country’s future.

It may be that 2028 isn’t the year for a Latino candidate, but anyone serious about winning a presidential primary needs to have a Latino agenda.

Latinos are a growing part of the electorate and key voters in several swing states. Leading contenders will need to address the needs of working Latinos, and by doing so they’ll be addressing the needs of the American middle class at large.

Potential candidates like California Governor Gavin Newsom and Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff stand out. Governor Newsom increased healthcare coverage for the immigrant population, created an economic agenda for trade school students, and frequently tussles with the president on immigration. Sen. Ossoff is extraordinarily well-spoken and has worked on smart efforts to support Latino businesses. We’ll surely have dozens of candidates throwing their hat in the ring, and Latino interests will need to be addressed.

Trump announced his presidential ambitions by riding down a golden escalator and raging that Mexico was sending crime and rapists into the country. For two presidential terms, he’s subjected the country to even more of his poisonous rhetoric, his disdain for presidential norms, and his lack of general human decency. He’s singularly and relentlessly attacked the Latino community, talking about “bad hombres” and third-world countries.

The country deserves better, and it needs to heal.

What better cure for the Trump disease than one of those maligned, hardworking Latinos stepping up to lead this country toward a brighter future?

Tags: Latino President