Republicans work to recruit female, minority candidates even as they criticize diversity programs

WASHINGTON — Republicans in the House of Representatives are critical of diversity and inclusion programs in the federal government and elsewhere, but they see recruiting women and minority candidates, along with veterans, as key to expanding their slim majority in November.

Rep. Richard Hudson, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, recently listed for reporters a slew of candidates he says fit the “formula” for the Republican Party to expand their ranks in November.

There was Prasanth Reddy, a cancer doctor who immigrated to the US from India and joined the military after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He is running for a congressional seat in northeastern Kansas. Then there was Alison Esposito, a gay former police detective who ran for office in New York.

Another example Hudson cited was George Logan, whose parents came to the U.S. from Guatemala and are running for a seat in Connecticut. Also featuring is Kevin Lincoln, an African-American and Hispanic mayor in Stockton, California, and Mayra Flores, who is making another run. She made history by becoming the first Mexican-born congresswoman, but then lost in the 2022 midterm elections.

“These are not your average Republicans,” Hudson said.

Republicans hope the gains they made in the 2022 midterm elections will continue with their latest slate of candidates. Democrats in the House of Representatives have a significant advantage when it comes to minority voters and have no intention of giving up any ground. They announced a $35 million investment last month aimed at reaching voters of color through polling, organizing and advertising. The struggle to appeal to women and minority voters will certainly be one of the factors determining which party will control the House of Representatives next year.

Hudson noted that in the last presidential election, prognosticators predicted Republicans would lose seats.

“We defeated 15 Democrats and every one of them defeated a woman, a minority candidate or a veteran,” Hudson said. “That’s really been the playbook for the last two cycles. And so we use the same formula.”

When asked what she thinks of House Republicans’ focus on recruiting women and minorities, the House Democratic campaign chairman was skeptical.

“I think they say a lot of things, but I think their actions are really what people need to look at,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the House Democrats’ campaign arm. “And their actions were the opposite. They mock diversity and equality, and they advance policies that go against diverse communities across the country.”

DelBene is referring in part to the dozens of policy mandates that Republicans in the House of Representatives have included in their spending bills. Most of the bills sought to ban taxpayer money from going to offices and programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion, which focus on ensuring fair treatment and participation of all people, especially those who are victims of discrimination.

It’s not just Republicans in the House of Representatives who want to end such programs. Republican lawmakers in at least 17 states have introduced about three dozen bills to limit or require disclosure of DEI initiatives, according to an Associated Press analysis using bill-tracking software Plural.

Hudson sidestepped whether the focus on attracting female and minority candidates as Republican candidates in the House of Representatives clashes with efforts to restrict diversity and inclusion programs in the federal government and elsewhere. He described it as “apples and oranges” and said, “I just haven’t thought about that much.”

“The motivation is that we want our Congress to reflect America. And we believe that if we have dynamic candidates with compelling life stories, they can win any district because they are not regular Republicans,” he said.

Hudson will see the first tests of Republican strategy on Tuesday during a special election in New York to replace Republican Rep. George Santos, who was ousted from office by colleagues in December. Tom Suozzi is the Democratic nominee, seeking a return to the seat he held for three terms before making an unsuccessful bid for governor.

The Republican candidate is Mazi Pilip, an Ethiopian immigrant, former Israeli paratrooper and mother of seven children. Hudson said she is an example of the type of candidate he believes can break through with voters with a compelling life story.

“She’s a mother. She’s a soldier. She’s an immigrant. It’s the American dream,” Hudson said.

The emphasis on diversity that Hudson noted, recruiting minorities and women, makes political sense given the increased racial and ethnic diversity of American voters.

According to the Pew Research Center, the number of Hispanics eligible to vote has increased by about 12% over the past four years and the number of Asian Americans eligible to vote has grown by about 15%. The number of black voters has grown by 7%. That is compared to an overall increase in the number of eligible voters of 3%.

Another example of Republican outreach to women is Rep. Elise Stefanik’s E-Pac, which was launched after the 2018 midterm elections to support and increase the number of women in Congress. The PAC’s website notes that in the 2020 election, 11 of the 15 districts that flipped to Republicans were won by women the PAC supported, and that it supported a record number of Hispanic women in the 2022 election.

“They have their own DEI offices. They don’t like to call them that,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., specifically citing the PAC. “But the Republican Party is full of their own DEI initiatives because they are actually finding that their performance, like many other organizations, can sometimes benefit from diverse perspectives.”

Stefanik said she was proud to expand the ranks of female Republicans in the House of Representatives, and “we are going to win with the strongest candidates.”

Steven Horsford, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said he was pleased that Republicans recognized the importance of recruiting women and minorities.

“They need to put it in their agenda as well,” Horsford said. “They can’t speak with one voice and then do something with another voice that weakens the things that help create an inclusive environment for all.”

Republicans have made gains in increasing the number of minority and female members, but still lag behind Democrats on most fronts.

Republicans doubled their number of black members in the House of Representatives to four in the last election, while there are 55 black Democratic members. The Hispanic and Latino ranks in the House of Representatives include 15 Republicans and 37 Democrats.

Women make up 126 members of the House of Representatives, of which 92 are Democrats and 34 are Republicans. The statistics do not include delegates and the local commissioner for Puerto Rico, who cannot vote on final passage of bills but are members of Congress.