With an expected victory in November , Texas Tea Party candidate Ted Cruz would become the third Hispanic in the U.S. Senate. Perhaps more significantly, Cruz would be the second Latino Republican in the Senate -- alongside Florida's Marco Rubio -- to the Democrats' one senator, Bob Menendez of New Jersey.
Considering the overwhelming support by Latinos for President Obama in the national campaign, does Cruz's rapid rise indicate something is changing at state levels? Can the Republican Party capture Latino votes by aggressively cultivating Hispanic candidates across its slates?
HuffPost Live's Alicia Menendez explores the nuances involved in the issue -- with special guests Carlos Odio, Director of the Candidate Project at The New Organizing Institute, Sam Rosado, Adriana Maestas and Wendy Carrillo -- and what it means for the Democratic Party which is heavily banking on the Latino vote in November.
As Menendez asks:
When Democrats take a look at this, when they see Ted Cruz, when they see Marco Rubio, are there lessons to be learned?
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE, AND JOIN THE DISCUSSION IN THE COMMENTS BELOW
For more provocative conversations, visit HuffPost Live 3,2,1. HuffPost Live launches August 13th!
Before You Go
