Why I joined the Republican Party

Why would a Hispanic American, particularly one who was a Democrat and later an Independent, join the Republican Party?

This was a question I heard several times as I shared with friends and family that I had decided to join the Republican Party. I had recently celebrated my 36th birthday and three years of U.S. citizenship, and had gone through life-changing surgery a few months before. This announcement made several people question if I was going through some sort of early mid-life crisis.

I was not.

Making the decision to register as an Alaskan Republican wasn’t easy. I knew that it would disappoint, and possibly anger, some of the people around me. To be frank, the Republican Party hasn’t been viewed as a magnet for Hispanics and other minorities for quite some time. The left and Democratic Party have been more than willing to recruit immigrants and minorities to “save” them from conservatism.

Why the change? I have to be true to my own convictions. For starters, I wasn’t willing to compromise my principles regarding issues like abortion and personal responsibility. To me, abortion is beyond politics — I have always been, and will always be, pro life. The Republican Party respects the life of the unborn. In addition, the idea of replacing personal responsibility and freedom with dependence and entitlement from the government seemed more like the same old failed policies from some Latin American countries; the same countries millions of immigrants left behind to go to America for a better life.

As many may know, I am currently the vice president of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District board. When it comes to education, I am a strong supporter of school choice and accountability of resources. Unfortunately, oftentimes it is the children who end up getting the short end of the stick in a system that is supposed to work on their behalf. I have also seen first-hand the negative effects of an overreaching, inefficient and continuously growing federal government in our education system.

Developing our natural resources is not just smart for our future; it’s our duty under the Alaska Constitution. I worry about future generations if we do not take action now and start investing in our state to develop the vast amount of resources available in a responsible way.

With much thought and introspection I have arrived at this decision. Whether it is education, social issues, personal freedom or resource development, the views and platform of the Republican Party offer people like me the opportunity to grow as human beings and a path to reach the American dream.

Erick Cordero is vice president of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District board and works as a volunteer manager of a legal aid organization. He was a founding member and president of the Hispanic Affairs Council of Alaska. The opinions above are his own and do not reflect the official stance of the Mat-Su Borough School District, his employer or any other organization/entity he serves.