The newly reshaped 61st District now includes the majority-Latino cities of Moreno Valley, Riverside and Perris. According to the Press-Enterprise, 52 percent of the district’s population is Latino, but only 35 percent are actually eligible to vote.

This is an important percentage for the Democratic party because a large number of Californian Latinos vote for Democrats.

However, only 17 percent of registered voters in majority-Latino precincts voted in the June 5 primary elections.

Democrats have a lot of work to do to make sure that the Latinos who are eligible and registered to vote actually make it to the polls in November.

Medina, a teacher in the Riverside Unified School District and former board member of the Riverside Community College District, may be the force Democrats need to get Latinos to the polls.

Medina, who won the June election with 45 percent, will face off against Republican Moreno Valley City Councilmember, Bill Batey, who came in second at 35 percent.

Batey recently came under some scrutiny in early August, when Medina’s campaign requested the Attorney General investigate Batey’s campaign finance report.

Batey’s financial records were reported after his campaign filed a Late Contribution Report to the Secretary of State, which disclosed a $100,000 donation, received on July 1, from the San Luis Obispo Republican Central Committee.

Batey campaign’s latest finance report shows the donation as being received on June 30, the last day of the reporting period, which raised his cash-on-hand number to $151,000 in June.

Batey’s campaign argues that Medina’s campaign is only protesting the reports because Medina was only able to raise $56,000 for June’s filing period.

In a report from the Press-Enterprise, Batey’s campaign adviser, Justin Matheson commented, “While Medina is running around whining about our reports, we are talking to voters about real issues, like more jobs, safer streets, and a better future for Riverside County,” said Matheason. “After the AG throws out their frivolous claim, maybe they can start focusing telling voters why Medina has failed to stand up for taxpayers in Riverside County.”

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Reach Staff Reporter Angela Blakely here.