Ruiz: I’m coming out. I want the world to know. Got a SuperPAC to show… (via Hispanic Executive)

Six months after its formation, The Latino Agenda, a SuperPAC with a stated mission to elect Latinos and support their interests, is going live. In a release, the SuperPAC formally announced its leadership and restated its goals to reach the commonwealth’s fastest growing demographic and boost their turnout in elections.

Atop The Latino Agenda is Cesar Ruiz, a former Springfield School Committee member who had led Golden Years Home Care services. Ruiz got into the SuperPAC game in 2023, but that ended in a massive penalty. His early moves for The Latino Agenda signal a different approach. Ruiz brought in a political hand who worked for Boston mayors and other advisors with experience across the state.

“Nearly 1.5 million Latinos call Massachusetts home, yet Latino voter turnout remains in the single digits in presidential elections and even less in state and local elections,” Ruiz claimed in the release. “This is a clear sign of disengagement as well as an opportunity to activate Latino voter power, which The Latino Agenda intends to do.”

As WMP&I reported in February, Tomás Gonzalez, who served in the administrations of Boston mayors Thomas Menino and Marty Walsh, has a role with The Latino Agenda. His firm, Acierto Consulting, LLC, was working with The Latino Agenda at the time of its formation. The release states he will serve as the director of the Independent Expenditure Political Action Committee, which is the formal name of a SuperPAC.

Ingrid Harik appeared as The Latino Agenda’s Treasurer in early paperwork. Although her background was not overtly political, she had a substantial professional background in financial services. Indeed, Ruiz’s previous SuperPAC, Hispanic Latino Leaders Now (HLLN), ran into trouble because of poor accounting.

As teased earlier this year, Tomás Gonzalez will be taking a lead role in Ruiz’s SuperPAC sequel. (via thelatinoagendapac,com)

Ruiz has given The Latino Agenda a $50,000 infusion to start things off according to records the SuperPAC filed with the Office of Campaign & Political Finance. HLLN also relied on Ruiz’s largesse for most of its funding. However, poor accounting of where its money went led to a nearly $190,000 penalty. Ruiz himself had to cover it.

A SuperPAC, as HLLN was and The Latino Agenda is, can spend unlimited amounts. However, they cannot give to individual candidates. HLLN did this, ostensibly by mistake. This had the effect of transforming it into a regular political action committee that has caps on contributions. That meant Ruiz had overcontributed to the tune of $189,500.

HLLN had already spent the money so it could not it return it to Ruiz. Instead, he made donations to charity equal to the over-contribution on HLLN’s behalf as restitution. HLLN itself shut down.

The release emphasizes Harik’s “strong foundation in managerial accounting and regulatory compliance.” Her career in financial services includes roles at Deloitte, one of the Big Four accounting firms, and Eaton Vance, an investment firm.

The release also highlights Andrew Melendez and Italo Fini in senior advisor roles. Melendez founded and leads the Latino Economic Development Corporation, which has its base in Springfield. He had also worked with Ruiz on HLLN. Fini served in Governor Maura Healey’s administration. Since leaving state service in 2024, he has consulted for the state Democratic party, state rep candidates and city council candidates from Lynn to Springfield.

The Latino Agenda’s website lists one more person of note. The SuperPAC’s general counsel is Thomas Kiley, a former First Assistant Attorney General under the late Francis Bellotti. Kiley also appears to be a principal at TSK Policy Group, a Boston public relations and government affairs firm. Another principal at the firm is former State Senate President Robert Travaglini.

Some Mass cities like Lawrence, with its large Dominican population swung hard for Trump. Where Puerto Ricans are the dominant Latino population, like Holyoke or Springfield, the swing was far milder. (via wikipedia)

The Latino Agenda does not appear to have any immediate endorsement plans. Like HLLN, it might not endorse only candidates with backgrounds in Latin America. HLLN did endorse a few candidates whom the SuperPAC claimed supported issues of importance to Latino votes.

The release does not state any explicit preference for Democrats. However, it does invoke Donald Trump and the support he picked up from some Latino communities. (Trump’s growth among Latino voters in Massachusetts varied widely depending on national background.) It notes the poor turnout in heavily Latino cities in 2024, which it hopes to correct.

“This was a troubling indication that we had to do something and do it right. Latino Voters don’t feel empowered,” Gonzalez said in the release. “Political parties, traditional political consultants, and candidates don’t spend significant resources on our community, and in turn, Latinos don’t vote because they aren’t mobilized. It’s a vicious cycle that needs to end.”

Gonzalez told The Republican they would not be aiming to defeat Democratic incumbents in leadership such as Springfield Congressman Richard Neal. Neal is the top Democrat on the Ways & Means Committee, which oversees taxes, trade, Social Security and other social programs.

To participate in federal elections, The Latino Agenda would need to form a separate SuperPAC with the Federal Election Commission. The Latino Agenda does not appear to have filed with the FEC as of yet.