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Latina elected officials are at the forefront of the Latino community’s journey to full participation and representation. They are dynamic and committed leaders who are building on a foundation of public service to achieve new political milestones. They have taken many different paths to elected office – including government service, labor, business, academia, journalism, education, health care, and work at home with their families – but they share a common vision of bringing their constituents’ voices to the vital discussions that shape our nation’s public policies.

A profile of the nation’s Latina elected officials reveals their diversity, with Latinas serving in 30 of the nation’s states and at every level of office. In January 2007, there were 1,574 Latinas in elected office, or nearly one out three of the Latino elected officials nationwide. Almost two-thirds are from Texas or California, and another 31% from other states that are the traditional Latino population centers. A small but growing share (4%) serve in nearly every other region of the nation, including the Northwest, the Midwest, the Deep South, New England, and Hawaii (Figure 1).

Figure 1
Latina Elected Officials by State: January 2007

Latinas hold positions at every level of elected office, from the halls of Congress to the chambers of local city councils and school boards. Nearly half (42.2%) are education or school board members, and about one-fourth are municipal officials (Figure 2).

Figure 2
Latina Elected Officials by Level of Office: January 2007

The significant growth in the number of Latina elected officials over the past 12 years is helping to fuel Latino political progress. In 1996, there were 907 Latinas serving in elected office; by 2007, that number had reached 1,574, an increase of 74%.

U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: A Portrait of Latina Political Progress
One of the nation’s leading Latina officeholders – U.S. Representative Ileana-Ros Lehtinen (R-FL) – exemplifies the political strides made by Latinas in public service. She is a trailblazer whose achievements opened new doors for the women and Latinas who followed her. Representative Ros-Lehtinen was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States when she was 7 years old. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at Florida International University. Early on, she demonstrated her commitment to education and founded the Eastern Academy, a private elementary school in Southern Florida, where she was also a teacher and administrator.

Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)

In 1982, Representative Ros-Lehtinen launched her political career at age 30 by successfully pursuing a seat in the Florida House of Representatives, becoming the first Latina elected to that body. She served as a Representative until 1986, and then as State Senator until 1989. As a state legislator she promoted legislation to promote drug-free work places and a tuition assistance program for Florida college students. In 1989, Representative Ros-Lehtinen once again made history when she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first Latina in Congress. She now represents Florida’s 18th District, which runs from the urban center of Miami to the beaches of the Florida Keys. In Congress, Representative Ros-Lehtinen’s legislative priorities include education, the protection of human rights, foreign affairs, and South Florida environmental and economic development issues. She helped promote the Cuban Democracy Act and the 1996 Helms-Burton law that tightened sanctions against Fidel Castro. Political observers note her efforts on behalf of the Latino community, including her criticism of attempts to pass English-only legislation, to cut off welfare for legal immigrants and to reduce the immigration quota for relatives of U.S. citizens. In the 104th Congress, Representative Ros-Lehtinen became the first Latina to chair a Congressional subcommittee when she assumed the leadership of the Africa Subcommittee of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

She is now the ranking member of that full committee, and has also held positions as the Chair or Vice Chair of several of its subcommittees. She has also served as a senior member of the International Relations Committee.

In the 104th Congress, Representative Ros-Lehtinen became the first Latina to chair a Congressional subcommittee when she assumed the leadership of the Africa Subcommittee of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. She is now the ranking member of that full committee, and has also held positions as the Chair or Vice Chair of several of its subcommittees. She has also served as a senior member of the International Relations Committee.

When asked what advice she would give to Latinas interested in pursuing a career in public service, Representative Ros-Lehtinen replied, “My election to Congress in 1989 marked the first time that a Hispanic woman was elected to Congress. When I was elected in 1989, there were only 32 women Members of Congress. Today, a record number of women serve in both chambers with 16 women serving in the Senate and 74 women serving in the House, including 6 fellow Latinas. There are so many significant issues that directly impact the lives of Hispanic women in this country, and I highly encourage more Hispanic women to pursue a career in politics. I support young women everywhere, who wish to rise above gender lines and follow their dreams of becoming doctors, entrepreneurs, lawyers, and even Members of Congress.”