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MCALLEN, Texas - The Republican National Committee is set to open an Hispanic Engagement Office in McAllen in the coming weeks, having just launched one in Laredo.

Macarena Martinez, the RNC\u2019s Texas communications director, said the move shows how serious the Republican Party is about building support in Hispanic communities.\xa0

\u201cThis is the first time we will be opening up a Hispanic Engagement Office under the RNC in Texas history so we are very excited,\u201d Martinez told the Rio Grande Guardian, in a podcast that was recorded before the Laredo office opened.

Martinez said Republicans need to take Hispanic voters in Texas seriously because their numbers are growing.

\u201cWe saw in the 2020 election, and in the recent Census data, Hispanics are growing at unprecedented rates here in Texas. We are seeing the Hispanic community grow throughout the state.\u201d

Martinez said the new Hispanic Engagement Office in McAllen would provide information on the Republican Party\u2019s agenda and on individual candidates once the primary season is over. She said the office will work closely with local county GOP parties. There will also be workshops on credit and home buying, community meetings, movie and game nights, and religious services at the office.

Martinez said the GOP can make inroads into heavily Hispanic communities such as Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley that have traditionally voted Democrat. She pointed to the increased share of the vote President Trump received in South Texas in the 2020 president election.\xa0

The 2020 election was noteworthy in the Valley for the huge convoys of cars and trucks belonging to Trump supporters decked out with Trump banners and USA flags. These noisy convoys became known as Trump Trains.

Editor's Note: To read the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian's website.

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