Lofgren’s Latino Leverage: Political Strategy or Community Displacement?

Susan Ellen “Zoe” Lofgren, 76, is an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she holds the office of U.S. Representative for the 18th district of California.

She faces re-election this year. The primary is March 5. The general election is November 5. Her congressional district was numbered the 16th from 1995 to 2013.

Since 2013, it has been the 19th district, then the 18th, following the 2020 census, when California lost a Congressional district.

Lofgren’s website explains the change from her perspective:

“…Our district 18th Congressional District of California following the 2020 Census, the non-partisan California Citizens Redistricting Commission dramatically changed the Congressional Districts in the South Bay and Central Coast. The Commission combined part of Santa Clara County with parts of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties and all of San Benito County to form the new 18th Congressional District (CA-18).”

Speaking of herself in the third person, Lofgren says on her website, ZoeLofgren.com:

“Zoe sees great opportunities in representing this newly-redrawn district, specifically in connecting the Silicon Valley-based technology prowess with the area’s robust agricultural sector…,” The curious absence of a word to describe what lies between Silicon Valley and the “area’s robust agricultural center” – a historic and proud Mexican American community – is supplanted by the single word “connecting.” For supplanting is what’s in mind.

She is being unusually transparent by telling the Mexican American voters in her district that she plans to bring Big Tech into the newly drawn areas of her district.

Some call this gentrification. It means paving the way for developers, realtors, and business opportunists to begin the gradual displacement of the historic community and for her donors and supporters to possess some of the most beautiful land with its extraordinary climate by representing the newly redrawn district.

Mexican Americans needn’t believe it now. Only mark this down as a footnote in the mind. The way the district was redrawn is no accident. It was not done without the senior congresswoman, with 28 years and millions to back her without her consent.

No, this was preplanned for land that her donors and her bosses, Big Tech, have long coveted as part of their expansion plans.

They have put Zoe in place. Now they need only to be displaced.

The 18th Congressional District

I am not asking anyone to believe it. I merely suggest you take note of why Zoe Lofgren, the longtime representative of Big Tech, suddenly has a district that is 65 percent Latino and mainly Mexican American families who have been here for generations.

Ask yourself now. Put this column aside for a few years, then relook at it again and see what happened.

A woman in the pocket of Big Tech – as she has been for more than 20 years – does not come to a neighborhood near yours without Big Tech having something big in mind.

It only awaits your displacement.

In upcoming articles, we will present evidence supporting the assertion that the area between Silicon Valley and the farms is targeted for a significant demographic shift. The advancement of AI will fuel this economic transformation, positioning Big Tech as the master of not just commerce and information but also surveillance. For two decades, one key defender has championed their monopoly over free competition in Congress: Zoe Lofgren. Her daughter is a Google attorney, and her millionaire lawyer husband acts as a bagman. Now, this family represents a newly formed district with a Latino majority.

California practices open primaries, meaning candidates from all parties participate in the primary, and the top two winners compete in the general election. This system could lead to two candidates from the same party facing off in the general election.

Lofgren’s competition in the primary includes Republican Peter Hernandez and Democrat Charlene Nijmeh, chairwoman of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. If Lofgren secures either the first or second spot in the March 5 primary and Republican candidate Peter Hernandez is also in the top two, Lofgren will likely win the November general election due to the Democratic majority.

Two years ago, Lofgren competed against Hernandez for the first time after being introduced to the new voters of her district. The election results reflected party lines, with Lofgren winning by a 65 to 35 majority, mirroring party enrollment in the district.

However, if Nijmeh, a Democrat, secures the first or second spot in the primary and Lofgren gets the other spot, the general election results become unpredictable. With two Democrats on the ballot for the general election and assuming voters continue to vote along party lines, Nimjeh could potentially unseat the incumbent, causing a stir in certain comfortable corners of Silicon Valley.

Expect to see a surge of Big Tech donations flowing into Lofgren’s campaign, as they will be reluctant to lose their dedicated Congressional representative.

Lofgren Long-Serving Congresswoman

People have often compared Zoe Lofgren to the Star Wars character Jabba the Hut, but many find this comparison unfair. FR will probe this controversy in a future post.

Frank Parlato

Frank Parlato is an investigative journalist, media strategist, publisher, and legal consultant.

Frank Parlato

Frank Parlato is an investigative journalist, media strategist, publisher, and legal consultant.

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