Major Latino Group Endorses Former T-Mobile Executive for Open FCC Seat

LULAC’s shift in loyalties appears to be a notable outlier, as other Hispanic and Latino advocacy groups are either coalescing behind Gomez or haven't declared a preference since ex-nominee Gigi Sohn withdrew from consideration in early March (see 2303070082). Latino groups are pushing Biden to break a nearly 22-year streak since the last community member on the FCC, Gloria Tristani, left in September 2001 (see 0109110015).

Luna “has the skills and background to hit the ground running at the FCC,” LULAC National President Domingo Garcia said in a previously undisclosed April 6 letter to Biden that we obtained. Luna “has twenty years of telecommunications experience, including wireline and wireless experience,” including 18 years with T-Mobile and MetroPCS. He was previously “elected to serve three terms on the Dallas City Council and served” as the city’s “first Hispanic deputy mayor pro tem,” Garcia said: As a council member Luna “championed issues vital to his majority Latino inner city district, which included downtown and its business development.”

“The FCC plays an important role in issues that are important for the Hispanic community,” Garcia said. “A Hispanic commissioner would be best suited to address issues such as combating disinformation in the Latino community, advocating for diverse employment and ownership in media, pushing for inclusive internet access policies, projecting Latino content creators, championing equitable language access, and promoting minority media entrepreneurship.” A “Latino FCC Commissioner would help ensure that Latinos can fully participate in and contribute to America’s future,” he said.

A LULAC spokesperson confirmed the endorsement but didn’t explain why the group, which identifies as the oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in the U.S., decided to back Luna instead of reupping its support for Gomez. Former LULAC CEO Sindy Benavides, National Hispanic Media Coalition CEO Brenda Castillo and National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators Executive Director Kenneth Romero, as top members of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, jointly endorsed Gomez in 2021. Benavides, now Latino Victory Project executive director, recently left LULAC amid internal group strife.

T-Mobile didn’t comment. Communications sector stakeholders we spoke with discounted Luna’s chances of getting the FCC nomination. They noted Luna hasn’t featured in any behind-the-scenes discussions about potential candidates to succeed Sohn. Gomez’s prospects have only strengthened over that period, stakeholders said. They also noted LULAC opposed Sohn’s confirmation far more vehemently than other Latino groups, including claims about the ex-nominee’s commitment to advancing media ownership diversity.

Castillo remains a strong Gomez backer. She's “an exceptional candidate” for an FCC seat, Castillo said in a March 14 letter to Biden published last week. She highlighted Gomez’s current State Department role leading U.S. preparations for the upcoming Nov. 20-Dec. 15 World Radiocommunication Conference in Dubai (see 2301270060) and past stints at the FCC, NTIA and Wiley.

Romero, who's also NHLA chairman, didn't respond to an interview request. National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives National President Al Gallegos, an NHLA member, emailed us portions of an earlier message in which Romero called for the group to "reissue its endorsement letter" to Biden to now back Gomez, FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Chief Alejandro Roark and National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts Chairman Felix Sanchez for the commissioner nomination. All three are "willing to serve" and are "abundantly qualified" candidates, Romero said in the message.