Jordan Lopez, a 26-year-old Democrat of Puerto Rican origin and black race, would be the first Afro-Latino and the youngest legislator in the North Carolina legislature.
He is also the virtual winner for the District 112 seat in the State House of Representatives, as he is running without an opponent in this election.
Lopez, is Puerto Rican second generation, born and raised in Charlotte, he is part of a new era of young people entering politics in this state.
In a conversation with Enlace Latino NC Lopez spoke about his aspirations in state government, his beliefs, and the role he will play as a representative of a district that includes part of Mecklenburg County and is home to 24,000 Latinos.
Position held by Tricia Cotham
District 112 is currently occupied by Tricia Cotham, who switched to the Republican Party in April 2023 after being re-elected as a Democrat. The change of party favored the Republicans to have a supermajority in the House of Representatives.
Cotham will no longer serve in the same seat, due to Republican-led redistricting in October 2023, which redrawn her district, separating Matthews and Mint Hill, where she lives, from the Democratic stronghold of east Charlotte, where Lopez grew up and still lives.
In November 2023, the now Republican announced that she would run again this year, but her name appears on the ballot as a candidate for District 105 of the House of RepresentativesCotham is this time facing Democratic freshman Nicole Sidman.
Why did you decide to apply?
Lopez says he decided to run because of the deep love he has for both the community as far east as Charlotte and as far north as North Carolina.
“I was born and raised in this community and I do my best every day to be involved, engaged and active in shaping its future. I have a background in public administration and have even served in the legislature before, so I wanted to put my experiences and passion to work for our community.”
What do you hope to do in the House of Representatives?
The candidate tells us that he hopes to achieve a number of things in the House of Representatives.
“This ranges from raising public school teacher pay, investing in public school resources like learning materials and support staff, to investments in transportation to increase mobility in our city and state, and finding ways to expand access to housing across the state.”
Given your origins, how will you identify yourself in Raleigh?
His Latino surname reminds us that López would be the second Hispanic Democrat to reach the House of Representatives, so we asked him if this is important to him.
“I will identify as both. With Lopez being my last name, there is an undeniable connection to my Puerto Rican roots, but I am also very proud to be a black man. I will be the first Afro-Latino to serve in the General Assembly.”
“My grandfather was Puerto Rican! He lived in San Juan until his death, and I still have relatives there today.”
What studies do you have and what are you currently doing?
Lopez attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), where he studied Political Science, and earned a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University.
He currently serves as a policy analyst for “Hometown Strong,” a rural initiative of the State Department’s Governor Roy Cooper.
His political convictions
Regarding his political beliefs as a Democrat, Lopez told us that he believes in his party's platform and its ability to move the community, state and country forward.
“As a young, Afro-Latino first-time candidate, I’ve been asked this question a lot, and from our party’s willingness to discuss and improve race relations, support for less regressive tax policies, support for public schools, willingness to address gun violence, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, access to health care, and so much more,” he noted.
“We don’t always get it right, but we care and we are willing to have the conversations and the work necessary to improve the lives of everyone, not just those who think like us,” he added.
A message to young people
For Lopez, it is important for young people to get involved and seek public office to represent the community in the General Assembly, because of the variety of ways in which state government affects everyone's lives.
“Throughout this campaign, when I speak to young voters, I always ask them to think of one or two of the things that matter most to them and that, in one way or another, are always connected to politics and government. Getting involved early and often helps us all become better informed about the issues and gives us the power to shape our collective future,” she said.
Jordan López finally told us that, in his enthusiasm for these elections, he took advantage of the opportunity to cast his vote on the first day of early voting.
To know more about Jordan Lopez, you can go to his Jordan Lopez for NC House website , in Spanish.
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