GROW Elect, a political organization founded in 2011 for the purpose of electing Latino Republicans to local office in California, announced today that its Executive Committee voted unanimously to hire former White House aide Ruben Barrales as its President and Chief Executive Officer.

Barrales is the group’s first President & CEO, and his appointment is part of an aggressive expansion of its political plan, a dramatic increase in GROW’s funding, and the launch of a major effort to elect Latino Republicans at the local, state and federal level, in the nation’s most populace state.

Barrales served for six years as Deputy Assistant to President George W. Bush and White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. He was the President’s senior representative to state, local, territorial and tribal government officials. Barrales was responsible for White House communication and relationships with the nation’s governors, mayors, state legislators and other elected officials. He also served as a chairman of the President’s Task Force on Puerto Rico’s Status.

Most recently, Barrales served as President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, where he ran the largest regional Chamber of Commerce in California, managing a full-time staff of 26 and an annual budget of $4 million.
Barrales’ parents came to the United States from Mexico. His father worked in the Bracero Program, and Ruben began his working career as a roofer in his family’s roofing business. Ruben’s first language was Spanish and he was the first member of his family to attend and graduate from college.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said, “I commend the efforts of organizations like GROW Elect, that seek to recruit and prepare Republican candidates of diverse backgrounds. … Hispanics play a key role in our party, and it is always exciting to see a growing field of Hispanic Republicans seeking elected offices.”

Barrales stated that, “I am proud to join GROW. Our democracy requires participation from all sectors of the community. Efforts such as GROW are vital to support and to empower Latinas and Latinos who are willing to enter public life and volunteer to help improve their community and state.”

GROW Elect is a 527 political action committee that recruits, endorses, trains and funds Latino Republican candidates for public office in California. Since 2011, GROW has elected 30 Latino Republicans to local office across California. To find out more about GROW Elect visit: www.growelect.com.