Washington, D.C.–Latino Victory Fund announced the endorsement of State Representative Ricky Hurtado, re-election candidate for the 63rd District of the North Carolina State House of Representatives.
“Ricky Hurtado’s presence in the State House is invaluable to North Carolina’s more than 1 million Latino residents. We’re proud to support Ricky’s candidacy to ensure Latinos in North Carolina are represented in their state legislature and because he’s a dedicated public servant,” said Nathalie Rayes, Latino Victory Fund president & CEO. “Ricky is part of the young generation of Latinos who are running for office to transform their local communities and governments, especially in states with emerging Latino populations. He has a wealth of experience serving his community and has served his district tirelessly during his first session. He will continue to fight for a better, more equitable North Carolina.”
Latino Victory Fund endorsed Hurtado in 2020 when he became the first Latino Democrat elected to the North Carolina State House and flipped a seat that had been Republican for ten years. He was the only Latino serving in the state legislature during the last session in a state where the Latino population is growing rapidly. According to the U.S. Census data, the Latino population grew by 40 percent in 10 years. More than 1 million Latinos live in North Carolina or 10.7 percent of the state’s population.
Meet Ricky Hurtado
- State Representative Ricky Hurtado is the son of working-class immigrants who fled war-torn El Salvador in the 1980s. He grew up in rural North Carolina and attended public schools.
- A first-generation college student, Hurtado’s dream finally came true when he was accepted into the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar. He attended graduate school at Princeton University, focusing on creating effective public policy to fight poverty and inequality and build strong, vibrant communities.
- After a brief time as a consultant and policy analyst supporting nonprofits and foundations across the country, Ricky became an instructor at UNC-Chapel Hill.
- He is co-executive director of an education initiative helping other first-generation college students and immigrant families break down barriers to educational opportunity.
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The Latino Victory Fund is a progressive political action committee with the mission of growing Latino political power by increasing Latino representation at every level of government – from the school board to the Senate to the White House.
