In Pitch to Young Voters, Longoria Recalls Texas Upbringing

Actress Eva Longoria, one of just two Texans to grace the Democratic National Convention stage on Thursday night, made a heartfelt pitch for President Obama in a message largely aimed at young voters.

She described growing up in Corpus Christi and taking out student loans to attend Texas A&M University-Kingsville, debt she paid off by changing oil at a mechanic shop, flipping burgers at Wendy’s and teaching aerobics. 

“As I travel the country for the president, I see young Americans of every background fighting to succeed,” said Longoria, a co-chairwoman of Obama’s re-election bid, adding, "We’re lucky that our president understands the value of American opportunity, because he’s lived it. And he’s fighting to help others achieve it.” 

And she spoke of protecting middle class families — like hers growing up — from tax burdens. 

"The Eva Longoria who flipped burgers at Wendy's, she needed a tax break," Longoria said. "But the Eva Longoria who works on movie sets does not."

Longoria's star-studded speech came a couple of hours after another Texan, Laredo native Alejandra Salinas, addressed the crowd. Salinas has a hefty resume; she's president of the College Democrats, a graduate of the University of Texas and a law student at Boston College. She's also a surrogate for Obama, meaning she speaks on his behalf in media interviews across the nation. 

"This president, on so many issues — immigration, LGBT rights, women's health— has proven that he cares about all of us, and that he'll keep on expanding opportunity," Salinas said. "As a young, LGBT Latina, it seems to me that Mitt Romney only cares about an elite few."