But as historic as Sotomayor's nomination is, how well does it do that kind of outreach work? If most Latinos see themselves first as Mexican American or Cuban American or Dominican American, does the singling out of a Puerto Rican really indicate that their group has "come of age" politically in the United States?
I know just as many Mexican Americans who were moved by the nomination of a Puerto Rican woman to the Supreme Court as those who were not. I suspect that many voters may be happy enough about Sotomayor's achievement, but at the same time, they will realize that the elevation of a "Latina" goes only so far and not far enough. I suspect that they may even understand that Sotomayor's nomination could come at Mexican Americans' expense. Because the media and the political elites make no distinctions among Latino groups, Mexican Americans may find themselves waiting a very long time for one of their own to be nominated to the Supreme Court.
