Why Democrats’ climate goals may test their Latino appeal

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — At a recent house party near the U.S.-Mexico border, the conversation with Democratic congressional candidate Rochelle Garza flowed from schools and taxes to immigration and efforts to convert an old railway line into a hiking trail.

One thing that didn't come up that Friday night over Corona beers and Domino's deep dish pizza: the effort by Democrats in Washington to use a massive federal spending package to beat back climate change.

“It’s not that the district is more moderate or moderately more conservative,” said Garza, 36, an immigration lawyer running for the House seat held by retiring centrist Democrat Filemon Vela. “Talking about how you’re going to meaningfully impact families, and make healthier families and healthier communities, I think that matters to people a lot more than some of these hot button issues.”

Democrats nationally are poised to go bigger than ever on the environment as part of the sweeping spending package they are trying to muscle through Congress. President Joe Biden has traveled the country sounding the alarm, blaming a warming planet for devastation from wildfire-ravaged California to hurricane-battered New York and warning of a “code red for humanity.”

But that focus could create political problems in energy rich areas. That includes South Texas, where many Latino voters turned against Democrats during last year’s presidential election and winning them back could prove critical to the party's hopes of retaining control of Congress during the 2022 midterms.

“They’re really making it easy on us," said Mayra Flores, a 35-year-old respiratory care practitioner and organizer for Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign. Flores is also running for Vela's seat and argues that Democrats are forcing Texans to choose...