Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Somos PAC announced a $1.5 million investment in support of Democratic primary candidate Manny Rutinel in Colorado's 8th Congressional District – home to the highest concentration of Latino voters in the state and the site of Somos PAC’s first-ever primary investment.

Somos PAC has historically concentrated its electoral investments in general election cycles — running some of the largest and earliest Spanish-language ad campaigns in competitive congressional races nationwide. This investment marks a new chapter for the organization. Entering primaries for the first time is part of a new strategic vision: the candidates who make it to November — and how they get there — will directly shape Democrats' ability to win Latino voters.

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The $1.5 million investment is a combination of direct mail starting today and bilingual digital advertising and radio programming dropping June 8th. Together, the three-track effort will reach Spanish-speaking and bilingual voters across CO-08 with a contrast ad drawing a sharp distinction between Rutinel and opponent Shannon Bird on immigration and ICE enforcement, and a positive biographical buy making the case for Rutinel to voters ahead of primary day.

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"Latino voters are tired of being taken for granted. They want leaders who will fight for them and stand up to Donald Trump and Republicans," said Melissa Morales, president and founder of Somos PAC. "At Somos PAC, we believe that work starts long before November. With a real opportunity to flip this seat, who emerges from this primary matters. The stakes extend far beyond June. Not only will the strength of the nominee impact Democrats' ability to compete and win in November, it will determine whether this community sends a fighter to Congress or another politician willing to treat Latino voters as a stepping stone on the path to higher office.

That is why, for the first time, Somos PAC is making a major investment in a Democratic primary. We are supporting Manny Rutinel because he has a proven record of fighting for working people, the backbone to stand up to Trump, and the ability to earn the trust of Latino voters. Manny shows up, puts in the work and understands how to build the coalition needed to win this seat in November. That's exactly the kind of leadership we're willing to fight for."‍

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As part of that expansion, Somos PAC and its sister organization Somos Votantes have named Ricardo Rauseo Landa as the organization's first-ever National Press Secretary, deepening its infrastructure for earned media around the Latino electorate as it expands its Latino voter tracking polling and grows its presence in battleground states ahead of November.

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Somos PAC has run some of the largest independent Latino voter engagement programs in the country. This cycle’s primary investment reflects the organization’s conviction that Latino voters are pragmatic — they vote for results, not party loyalty — and that the communities Somos PAC represents deserve candidates who have had to earn their trust.

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About Somos PAC

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Somos PAC is a Latino-led, Latino-focused organization and runs some of the largest independent Latino voter engagement programs in the country. Our mission is to empower hard working Latinos in shaping the future of our democracy by increasing our participation in elections and by electing progressive candidates.

Visit https://www.somospac.org for more information on this program and other projects, and follow the organization on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube.