Congressional Hispanic Caucus PAC jumping in redistricting fights

The campaign arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is promising to spend six figures on redistricting fights in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico — three states key to future partisan control of the U.S. House.

Why it matters: The move by CHC BOLD PAC, led by U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), signals the aggressive role the political action committee intends to play ahead of the 2022 midterms.

• Meanwhile, Republicans are seeking new voting restrictions that target Latinos, and more white progressives are challenging moderate Hispanics in Democratic primaries.

Driving the news: The CHC BOLD PAC announced this week that it is spending six figures as part of a national strategy to ensure Latinos are heard in the redistricting of U.S. House seats, though the PAC won’t say exactly how much they’ve budgeted.

• The PAC vows to partner with local grassroots groups to pressure the state officials who will determine how seats are redrawn.
• Groups can attend hearings on redistricting and possibly launch legal challenges to new districts that reduce Latino political power.

What they’re saying: “Redistricting will dictate how Latino communities are represented in the halls of Congress for the next decade,” Gallego said in a statement.

• “BOLD PAC will help fight for a fair redistricting process so that the voting power of Latinos — and their ability to elect diverse representatives who reflect their values — is not diluted.”

The intrigue: Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico in recent elections have seen more Latinos elected to state and local offices.

• Arizona saw record turnout among Hispanic and Native American voters in 2020 following years of anti-immigrant rhetoric from the state’s Republicans and accusations of police harassment of Native Americans.
• An analysis of precincts by the UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Initiative in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico showed that President Biden won U.S. Latino voters by a 3-to-1 ratio in the race against former President Trump.

Yes, but: Trump and Republicans made gains among Cuban American voters in Florida and Mexican American voters in South Texas and New Mexico by emphasizing economic issues.

Don’t forget: That seat in New Mexico, held by GOP U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, is one of the seats targeted for redistricting.