Gabriel Sanchez
Gabriel R. Sanchez, PhD. is a Professor of Political Science, and the Founding Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Endowed Chair in Health Policy at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Sanchez is also the Director of the UNM Center for Social Policy, and a founding member of the UNM Native American Budget and Policy Institute. Sanchez is also a Principal at Latino Decisions, the nation’s leading survey firm focused on the Latino electorate, is a non-Resident Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, and leading expert on Latino and New Mexico politics and policy, he regularly provides political commentary to several state, national, and international media outlets including the New York Times, CNN, Los Angeles Times, and the Economist. Professor Sanchez is a nationally recognized expert in survey research and the utilization of rigorous research to inform public policy decisions at the federal, state, and local levels. Sanchez has been on the faculty at UNM since 2005 and is a native New Mexican, and a graduate of St. Pius X High School here in Albuquerque.
Dr. Sanchez is leading several research projects focused on the impact of COVID-19 on the Latino and Native American communities, including multiple survey of parents aimed at understanding the experiences of parents regarding distance learning and their attitudes toward the transition back to in-person education. Sanchez has also directed several research projects for clients interested in developing strategies to engage Latino voters and promote civic engagement. Along with LD’s co-founder Matt Barreto, Sanchez has written several expert witness reports utilized in voter ID and voting rights cases across the country.
Sanchez received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Arizona. His academic research explores the relationship between racial/ethnic identity and political engagement, Latino health politics and policy, and minority legislative behavior. Sanchez has published more than fifty scholarly research articles, chapters and books focused on minority public opinion, electoral behavior and racial and ethnic politics in the United States. He is the co-author of the recent book Latinos and the 2016 Election: Latino Resistance and the Election of Donald Trump, and co-author of the forthcoming text book (with John A. Garcia) Latino Politics in America: Community, Culture, and Interests.