Statement from Melissa Morales, President and Founder of Somos PAC, on Manny Rutinel's Victory in CO-08
Somos PAC's first-ever primary investment sets up a November contest between Rutinel and Evans in one of Democrats' top pickup races
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tonight, Manny Rutinel won the CO-08 Democratic primary, defeating Shannon Bird to advance as the Democratic nominee in one of the most competitive congressional districts in the country, and one of the nation’s most consequential battlegrounds for Latino voters.
"This victory is a testament to Manny and the community that never stopped believing in him," said Melissa Morales, President and Founder of Somos PAC. "He earned this victory the right way: by showing up, doing the work, and building a coalition that reflects his community. Manny didn't take Latino voters for granted — he listened to their needs, respected their voices, and fought for their vote. Latino voters are pragmatic. They vote on results, not party loyalty, and tonight they chose a candidate who understood that from the very beginning. At a moment when too many political leaders assume Latino voters should simply fall in line, this election sent a different message: our communities expect to be heard, respected, and fought for. Colorado’s 8th Congressional District is one of the most competitive congressional districts in the country, and sending Manny to Congress would be a powerful statement about both the future of the Democratic party and the growing strength of the Latino electorate. Tonight’s victory is significant. But now the real work begins."
Somos PAC – which has run some of the largest and earliest Spanish-language ad campaigns in competitive congressional races nationwide – will continue to invest in its broader strategy: expanding into battleground states and growing its Latino voter tracking polling ahead of November. The organization's conviction remains unchanged: the path to winning Latino voters runs through communities that have been heard, respected, and fought for — starting long before Election Day.
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About Somos PAC
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.