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Demography & Population Studies

As more Latinos run for U.S. Congress ahead of the 2024 Elections, Study Finds They Remain Significantly Underrepresented in Elected Offices

Despite Latinos comprising 20% of the general U.S. population, they hold only 2% of all elected offices nationwide.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: lppipress@luskin.ucla.edu

As more Latinos run for U.S. Congress ahead of the 2024 Elections, Study Finds They Remain Significantly Underrepresented in Elected Offices

There are currently only 49 Latino representatives and six Latino senators in the 118th Congress, representing 11% and 6% of each chamber, respectively.

LOS ANGELES (October 28, 2024)—Despite Latinos comprising 20% of the general U.S. population, they hold only 2% of all elected offices nationwide. With this in mind, the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (UCLA LPPI) has released a new research data brief that analyzes the demographic composition of the 118th U.S. Congress and tracks changes over time.

“With 49 Latino representatives and six Latino senators, Latinos represent 11% of the House and 6% of the Senate – figures that starkly contrast with their share of the U.S. population,” said Rodrigo Dominguez-Villegas, co-director of research at UCLA LPPI. “This persistent underrepresentation of our community in the halls of power underscores the profound disparities that still exist within our political systems.”

The data brief provides a detailed look at the state of Latino representation in Congress, providing a snapshot of both progress and persistent challenges. The findings highlight the historical timeline of Latino electorate participation, demographic distinctions, such as age and religion, and the distribution of Latino representatives across party lines and geographic regions.

Some of the key findings include: 

  • The first Latino man entered Congress over a century before the first Latina.
  • Latino representation remained minimal until the 1950s in the House and the early 2000s in the Senate but has grown since.
  • Democratic Latinos significantly outnumber their Republican counterparts.
  • Only 12 states have a Latino representative, with California leading. 
  • The number of Latinas in the House is increasing, contributing to overall female representation.
  • Districts with higher percentages of Latinos in the voting-age population are more likely to elect Latino representatives, though 11 representatives hail from districts where Latinos constitute less than 25% of this group. 

Co-author Juliana Phan, research analyst at UCLA LPPI, added, “While we are seeing a notable increase in Latino representatives in Congress, our findings show that there is still a long way to go. Ensuring that all communities have a voice in government is essential for a fully representative democracy.” 

Dominguez-Villegas concluded: “To truly address the underrepresentation of Latinos in Congress and across all levels of government, we must forge new paths for leadership development that engage and empower young Latinos. We at LPPI are doing our part through our Policy Fellowship Program. Programs like ours create opportunities that nurture their leadership skills, which are essential for future generations of government leaders who can effectively voice and address the needs of our diverse communities.”

Read the full data brief here.

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About UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute:

The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute is a non-partisan research institute that seeks to inform, engage, and empower Latinos through innovative research and policy analysis. LPPI aims to promote equitable and inclusive policies that address the needs of the Latino community and advance social justice. 44.245.141.20.