Jimmy Carter's Latino legacy: Elevated record number of Hispanics in Washington

Former president Jimmy Carter recognized the emerging Hispanic electorate, and brought in a record number of Latinos to work for his administration.

As the nation mourns the death of former President Jimmy Carter, his record of connecting with Latino voters, recognizing their growing population’s significance and elevating Hispanics to leadership positions form a vital part of his legacy.

A political outsider when he ran for the Democratic nomination, Carter was elected in 1976 with an estimated 81% of the Latino vote. He narrowly carried Texas, thanks in part to winning 87% of the state’s Latino vote. 

During Carter’s era, the Latino population in the country was about 14.6 million, or 6.5% of the overall U.S. population, and his administration reflected the awakening of Latinos as a political force.

Blandina Cardenas, 79, a former president of the University of Texas-Pan American, worked on the Carter campaign and was appointed in 1977 to become the commissioner for children, youth and families in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

“I was so young, frankly, I didn’t have a lot of experience, and certainly not at that level. But I had the capacity,” she recalled. “There was a real community spirit back then, among us Mexican Americans. There was a commitment to politics for a purpose that would advance equality and help others.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/jimmy-carter-latino-legacy-record-hispanic-appointments-rcna345

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