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Texas Democrat Bobby Pulido Says 'Latinx' Doesn't Reflect His District, Pushes Back on AOC

03:20 AM, 12/04/2025
Texas Democrat Bobby Pulido Says 'Latinx' Doesn't Reflect His District, Pushes Back on AOC

Quick summary: Bobby Pulido, a Latino musician and Texas Democratic congressional candidate, told CNN This Morning he does not use the term "Latinx" and said it does not reflect everyday speech in his district. He emphasized his district's oil-and-gas economy and cultural differences from places like New York, and urged respect for those local norms. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found 47% of Latino adults have heard of "Latinx," but only about 4% use it and 75% said it should not be used.

Latino musician and Texas Democratic congressional hopeful Bobby Pulido told CNN This Morning that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's use of the gender-neutral term "Latinx" doesn't reflect how people in his part of Texas speak.

Promoted in recent years by some academics, activists and entertainers as an alternative to the gendered words "Latino" and "Latina," "Latinx" has gained awareness but remains uncommon in everyday use across much of the United States.

Host Audie Cornish framed the exchange amid discussions during the 2024 campaign about a backlash to progressive policy language, and played a clip of Ocasio-Cortez defending the term while criticizing politicians who say its promotion is harmful to the party.

"Well, I mean, I don’t speak like that. And the people down here don’t speak that way, and that’s not anything offensive to her," Pulido said.

Pulido added that while people in New York City and some parts of California may use "Latinx," it is not part of everyday speech in his district. "Nobody in their average everyday life speaks like that. That’s just a fact," he said.

He emphasized that his district is heavily tied to the oil-and-gas industry and that voters there want a representative who reflects local economic and cultural priorities. Pulido said he would not dictate how Ocasio-Cortez should represent her constituents, but asked that the linguistic and cultural differences of his district be respected.

Ocasio-Cortez's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

What the data show

According to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, awareness of the term "Latinx" among Latino adults has risen to 47% (up from 23% in 2019), but only about 4% of respondents say they use the label to describe themselves. The survey also found that 75% of Latino respondents said "Latinx" should not be used at all.

The exchange underscores a broader debate within Latino communities about language, identity and the role of progressive terminology in politics, particularly in regions with cultural norms that differ from coastal urban centers.

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