Eva Longoria Baston has issued an apology for downplaying the role Black women had in helping to get Joe Biden elected.
“The women of color showed up in a big way. Of course, you saw in Georgia what Black women have done, but Latina women were the real heroines here. Beating men in turnout in every state and voting for Biden/Harris at an average rate close to three to one,” Longoria said Sunday on MSNBC during a discussion about the 2020 presidential race.
Eva Longoria to @AriMelber on the impact of Latina women: “That spirit and perseverance that Latinas use in their daily life, the struggle to pay their bills and the struggle to show up to their jobs … that’s the same perseverance and spirit they used to show up to the polls,” pic.twitter.com/BiATbXbaeG
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 9, 2020
The backlash was instant with critics on social media accusing the actress and activist of trying to “erase” the impact Black women had in getting the Biden-Harris ticket elected.
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Late Sunday, Longoria tweeted out a clarification.
“I’m so sorry and sad to hear that my comments on MSNBC could be perceived as taking credit from Black women. When I said that Latinas were heroines in this election, I simply meant that they turned out in greater numbers and voted more progressively than LATINO MEN,” she wrote in a statement on Twitter.
Please read ?????? pic.twitter.com/KO80U2yarD
— Eva Longoria Baston (@EvaLongoria) November 9, 2020
The Desperate Housewives alum went on to say she did not want to contribute to “anti-Blackness” in the Latino community.
“My wording was not clear and I deeply regret that. There is such a history in our community of anti-Blackness in our community and I would never want to contribute to that, so let me be very clear: Black women have long been the backbone of the Democratic Party, something we have seen played out in this election as well as previous ones,” she added. “Finally, Black women don’t have to do it alone any longer.”
Longoria is co-founder of the Latino Victory Fund, a progressive political action committee working to increase Latino political power. She also hosted the opening-night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention.