Texas Set to Send Its First Two Latinas to Congress

Texas came one step closer to breaking one of its major glass ceilings Tuesday as two Hispanic women won Democratic nominations for congressional seats. Primary-election results indicate State Sen. Sylvia Garcia is now set to succeed Democratic U.S. Rep. Gene Green, and former El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar is set to take over for Democratic U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who is running for U.S. Senate. Both women are likely to win in November, as their districts are heavily in favor of the Democratic Party. The wins would also make them the “first class of Texas freshmen women elected to a full term in Congress in 22 years,” the Texas Tribune reported. “Timing has to be right for a lot of us,” Escobar told the Tribune. “And I think it’s even harder for women of color because fundraising is really such a huge component of running in a congressional race and many of us may have limited networks.” Garcia added: “I never really wanted to be the first. I wanted to be the best.”