Congress gets its first sister act with Loretta and Linda Sanchez

BYLINE: By Dena Bunis

BODY:

LAKEWOOD, Calif.—Democrats Loretta Sanchez and Linda Sanchez won election victories Tuesday that will make them the first pair of sisters to serve in the House of Representatives, signaling another milestone in the increasing power of the Hispanic vote.

Linda Sanchez, 33, defeated Republican Tim Escobar in the new Lakewood-centered 39th Congressional District late Tuesday.

She'll be sworn in next January with her sister, Rep. Loretta Sanchez, 42, who easily won re-election to a fourth term from central Orange County.

The elder Sanchez made her own bit of history in 1996, becoming the first Latina to go to Congress from Orange County when she defeated conservative icon Bob Dornan.

To the beat of Shaggy's "Strength of a Woman," the Sanchez sisters entered the party room at the Centre in Lakewood mobbed by supporters, posing for pictures and grinning from ear to ear.

Holding her sister's hand, Loretta Sanchez led her onto the stage.

"Tonight is really Linda's night," Loretta Sanchez said as her sister and parents looked on just after 10 p.m., as early returns showed Linda with a modest lead. "Let's introduce you to your adoring fans—the new congresswoman from this district, Linda Sanchez."

"Wouldn't you love to have an older sister like Loretta?" the hopeful freshman said as her older sibling beamed.

From Orange and Los Angeles counties, supporters watched the night's results, confident in eventual victory, even as it was fast becoming a difficult night for Democrats nationwide.

Pat Villalvazo of La Palma volunteered in Loretta Sanchez's first campaign, and when she heard her sister was running, she made it her business to seek her out. She liked what she heard and went to work for the younger sister. "I wanted to see if this one was as good as the other one. I wasn't disappointed."

"This is a new time for women," said Villalvazo, a real estate agent who came early with her son and daughter-in-law to get a seat at a table close to the stage.

"This is the first wave in a series of very large tidal tsunamis that will hit America during the 21st century," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at University of Virginia. "The Hispanic vote is going to restructure and redefine American politics, not just in California and the Southwest, but the entire country."

The path to this historic election started with a state redistricting plan that created a new district of mainly ethnic working-class Democrats.

Democrats outnumber Republicans 54.7 percent to 27.9 percent in the Los Angeles County district that spans 16 cities including Artesia and South Gate.

Loretta Sanchez brought her influence and fund-raising ability to aid her sister in capturing the Democratic nomination in March, virtually ensuring the younger Sanchez a win Tuesday.

"I'm not here to take over the world," said Loretta Sanchez. "My passion is to get more women elected in politics. And if it's a Hispanic woman, it's even better."

Linda Sanchez said her victory still has to be put in perspective.

While she called it "momentous," she said there is still much to do.

"Unfortunately, we still have a fairly small Hispanic caucus in Congress. We'll be lucky if we add three or four new members."

While the Sanchez’s are making history for women, a pair of brothers—and Republicans—are sharing in the milestone of Hispanic relatives going to Congress in Florida.

Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who was unopposed for re-election, will go to the House with his brother, Mario Diaz-Balart, who easily won election on Tuesday.

Hispanic candidates were favored to win Tuesday in one new Arizona district as well as one in New Mexico and possibly Nevada.

There are 19 Hispanic members in the House, none in the Senate. The U.S. population is 12.5 percent Hispanic; 12.5 percent of the 435 House seats would be 54.

There are 62 women in the 107th Congress.

While the buzz about the sisters is high in the Latino community, local residents say the novelty of their election is going to wear off. Then they are going to be judged on what they do.

"The proof will be if what they do for the Latino electorate is different than the status quo," said Barbara Garcia of Santa Ana, an official with the Rancho Santiago Community College District and a Green Party member.

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