Invoking ethnic identity in the service of right-wing rhetoric: an analysis of 2022 Latina republican candidates in South Texas.

This article analyzes the campaign rhetoric of three Republican Latina candidates for Congress in South Texas during the 2022 midterm elections, focusing on how they strategically deploy conservative ethnic identity alongside right-wing appeals. Using Latine rhetorical criticism, the study finds that these candidates embrace traditional Mexican American gender roles (marianismo) to construct political personas as protective mothers and community defenders, while simultaneously employing the Latino Threat Narrative to differentiate themselves from newer Central and South American immigrants portrayed as threats. Their campaign ads also emphasize belief in the American Dream, framing economic precarity as a consequence of local corruption and liberal policies, thereby asserting cultural citizenship through a blend of ethnic identity and conservative values. The findings suggest a nuanced approach by Republican candidates to appeal to Latine voters by targeting sub-group concerns and challenging assumptions about Latine political homogeneity.