Chuck Rocha is an American political consultant,[1][2] Democratic Party strategist,[3] and former union organizer who is the president of Solidarity Strategies.[4][5] In April 2020, the former Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign advisor founded the partisan super PAC Nuestro PAC to turn out Latinos in the 2020 general election.
Chuck Rocha | |
|---|---|
 Rocha in 2012 | |
| Born | Tyler, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Political party | Democratic |
Career
editChuck began his political career in East Texas at United Rubber Workers Local 746. By 22, he had become the youngest officer of the 1,200 person local. At 29, he was hired to be the youngest and first person of color political director of the United Steelworkers. He is credited for building out one of the top national labor political departments in the country.[6]
In 2010, Rocha left the USW to create Solidarity Strategies, a full-service nonprofit and political consulting firm. Solidarity was built on the idea of diversity, inclusion and mentorship opportunities for the next generation of minority professionals. In 10 years, Solidarity has employed over 60 young people of color and has become one of the most successful minority-owned political consulting firms in the nation.
On July 30, 2013, Rocha pleaded guilty to the embezzlement of union funds. He was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay a fine of $2,000.[7]
Chuck has worked on several presidential, congressional and gubernatorial races, including both of Bernie Sanders' presidential campaigns.[8][9]
Personal life
editReferences
edit- ^ McPhate, Mike (November 15, 2016). "California Today: Latino Power Rising". The New York Times.
- ^ "Report: Democratic Consultant Spending Falls Short On Diversity". NBC News. 25 June 2014.
- ^ Henney, Megan (November 21, 2019). "Democratic candidates tackle paid family leave during fifth debate". FOXBusiness.
- ^ "A new group will push campaigns to hire more diverse political consultants". NBC News. 18 July 2017.
- ^ "New National Association to Focus On Connecting Minority-Owned Firms". www.campaignsandelections.com. 20 July 2017.
- ^ "Chuck Rocha – Netroots Nation". Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ^ Mahoney, Brian (February 2016). "Sanders adviser was convicted of union embezzling". POLITICO. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ^ Narea, Nicole (2020-09-09). ""The Latino vote is not being taken seriously": Ex-Bernie Sanders adviser sounds an alarm". Vox. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ^ "Opinion | How to Win the Latino Vote". The New York Times. 2020-09-11. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ^ "Chuck Rocha reveals secrets to winning Latino voters in 'Tío Bernie' Sanders book". NBC News. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
The book, too, is Rocha's personal story of how a "red neck farm boy from East Texas" who largely grew up without his father went from a goal in his 20s of landing a job that would provide health care for his son to becoming a union activist to having a felony in his record over what he describes as a $485 expense account mistake.
- ^ Mahoney, Brian (February 2016). "Sanders adviser was convicted of union embezzling". POLITICO. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
Rocha was the only Latino political director in the union movement when he took the position with the Steelworkers, according to his online biography.