opinion

Hispanic Americans should ‘Feel the Bern’

He is the improbable candidate with unruly hair who is upsetting the 2016 race. He is the candidate who reliably draws huge crowds. He is the candidate who is unafraid to voice bold opinions. And his name is not Donald Trump. He is Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., currently surging in the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire.

But Sanders has not won over Latino voters, a critical part of any successful White House run. That’s a shame. His campaign is centered on issues that should resonate with the Latino community. Just as Sanders has lately been reaching out to Hispanics, we would do well to return the favor and “Feel The Bern.”

There’s no denying that Hillary Clinton enjoys overwhelming support from Latinos. A July poll by Univision found that 73 percent of Latino voters would vote for Clinton in the Democratic primary. Yet 68 percent did not know of or had not formed an opinion of Sanders. Despite Clinton’s impressive numbers, Sanders still has time and potential to cut into them.

If Latinos are willing to give Sanders a chance, they will see that he has much to offer. He has been fighting for the civil rights of all Americans for decades. Like most Latinos, he believes that the government has an important role to play in solving big problems. Unlike Clinton, he does not have to apologize to voters for email irregularities or a vote for the war in Iraq — nor is he beholden to corporate bankers.

Research from Latino Decisions shows that Latinos are generally progressive voters. It’s worth noting that on the issues that matter most to Latinos — education, jobs and health care — Sanders is actually more progressive than Clinton. He supports free public college education, an idea that should be attractive to Latinos, who complete college at lower rates than other Americans. Sanders has proposed a $15 minimum wage, while Clinton believes that goes too far. He wants single-payer health care, which would greatly benefit Latinos, who are still the largest uninsured demographic.

Sanders is an ally on immigration. “Economically and morally,” he said, “it is unacceptable that we have millions of workers who are living in the shadows.” He favors comprehensive reform and a path to citizenship.

Sanders is not perfect. He worried some immigration reform advocates when he suggested at a U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce forum that immigrants take jobs from Americans. But Clinton has made missteps, too, like last year when she said unaccompanied child migrants from Central America should be sent back, a position seemingly at odds with her longstanding commitment to human rights.

Clinton has been a friend to Latinos for many years. But if more Latinos back Sanders, it will make Clinton a better candidate by offering her real competition. It will remind politicians that we are not a monolithic voting group to be taken for granted.

Raul Reyes is an attorney in New York and a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors.