

Photo via Wendy Carrillo/Facebook

The appointment of former U.S. Congressman Xavier Becerra to California Attorney General has left the state's 34th Congressional District seat wide open. Enter Wendy Carrillo, one of the 23 candidates currently vying for Becerra's open seat.

Carrillo is a former undocumented immigrant (she fled civil war in El Salvador at age five) who obtained U.S. citizenship around her 21st birthday. Nearly 15 years later, she decided to run for Congress.

According to Teen Vogue, during a trip to Mount Rushmore in December, Carrillo looked up the faces of four former presidents and thought, "If not now, when; if not me, who?...So I jumped. I said, ‘I’m all in.'"

And since launching her campaign, Carrillo hasn't been shy about her past. Carrillo's first digital ad, which premiered on March 14, is titled "Unapologetic".

"I am a woman of color. I'm Latina. I'm an immigrant. I'm an unrecognized refugee," Carrillo states in the ad. "Somebody that took an oath to become a citizen of this nation. From the ages of five to 13, I was undocumented."

"I'm running for Congress because I believe that there should be more people like me at the table," Carrillo later states in the ad, her voice breaking as she wipes tears from her face. "We can't continue to talk about immigrants and refugees and war and violence and why people migrate without considering the reasons why people do that."

But Carrillo's message isn't without its detractors.

On Thursday night, David Duke, the former Grand Wizard of the KKK, attacked Carrillo on Twitter:



Look at those fist 👊 unapologetically rise at the end of this ad - Wendy plays the part of a "person of color" masterfully, doesn't she? https://t.co/MpOUKBUR4f — David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) March 17, 2017



Carrillo quickly responded to the tweet.

According to a press release from Carrillo's office, the candidate emailed her supporters Thursday night, stating, “we’re showing that Los Angeles is a place where immigrants are welcome, not excluded. That if you work hard, you can live your dreams, no matter where you came from or how much money you make. And that real leadership comes when candidates are fearless and unapologetic.”

On her personal Facebook page, Carrillo further defined her campaign as a stand against racism, and a voice for the millions of immigrants who make up the American fabric.





Everyday that I share my story, I share the story of millions of immigrants across this country. Take a look at the comments left on this page and you will see what I go through EVERY DAY in this campaign. There is real hate out there which is why we NEED to be at the table. For those of you that are sitting out, know that as your friend, this is my life at the moment as I am harassed on all levels. I hope you see it, I hope you feel it and I hope that you realize how serious this election is. For all of us. #CA34

The primary election will be held on April 4. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote (which is likely, considering the sheer number of names in the primary), the top two will advance to a runoff on June 6.