Sonja Diaz, director of UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics Initiative, authored an opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times about the importance of the upcoming recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom. Despite starting as a political distraction, the election is a valuable “opportunity for Democrats to build lasting relationships with the state’s nonwhite electorate,” Diaz argued. There has been a significant increase in registered Latino and Asian American voters, who will play a critical role in the 2022 midterms. While voter turnout is generally much lower in midterm years, the recall election in September will be an opportunity to build and maintain engagement with voters. Diaz recommended developing field campaigns and on-the-ground outreach to mobilize communities of color to vote “no” on the recall and keep Newsom in office. “If successfully engaged in the state’s political process, those voters will support future candidates committed to inclusive and progressive policies to help all Californians,” she wrote.