Cinco de Mayo has come to represent a celebration of the contributions that Mexican Americans and all Hispanics have made to America.

the longest-serving member of either house of Congress in California's history died after a long illness. They claimed that Baca was elected chair of the Caucus in a public ballot despite Caucus rules for electing a chair that require a secret ballot election. 7% to 44.

After redistricting he decided to run in the new adjacent 35th congressional district where he faced fellow Democrat Gloria Negrete McLeod (due to California's "top two" primary system). On November 6 2012 Baca lost his seat by a margin of 55. S.