There is a new phenomenon occurring in politics that may change the faces of winning candidates forever, as was the case with Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas and could be the case with Gabriel Gomez in Massachusetts.

In past elections, the candidates that won did so based on the racial/ethnic makeup of their districts. In other words, heavily white districts voted for white candidates, while the same happened for Black and Hispanic candidates in their respective dominant districts. In only a handful of districts have candidates that are not representative of the dominant population won elections. As a result, we’ve become accustomed to assuming that the majority of voters will turn out and vote for those that resemble them—a highly predictable outcome. However, times are changing in America, and in at least one recent significant election, the result was headline-grabbing.

Last November, Ted Cruz—the son of a Cuban immigrant—was elected to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate by a majority of non-Hispanic voters. He made history not only by becoming the first Hispanic U.S. Senator elected in that state, but also by winning with solid support from predominantly non-Hispanic voters rather than from a majority of Hispanic voters. In fact, he only garnered 35 percent of the Hispanic vote.

Gabriel Gomez could repeat history

Now, this same scenario has a chance to repeat itself in next month’s special U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts. Gabriel Gomez—the son of Colombian immigrants—is running on the Republican ticket against the better-known Democratic candidate, Ed Markey. Gomez won the Republican primary by beating two other candidates—neither of which were Hispanic. Moreover, he is only a few percentage points behind 18-term Congressman Markey. Smart Money argues Markey has a much better chance of defeating Gomez because he is a familiar name throughout the predominantly Democratic state. But I am not so sure…

For one, Markey has been at it a long time—perhaps too long in some voters’ minds. Secondly, Republicans have proven they can win Senate seats in Massachusetts, as evidenced by Scott Brown’s 2010 special election victory and Edward Brooke’s 1967 and 1973 victories. Sen. Brooke, an African-American, did so with support from the state’s predominantly white community.

Currently, whites make up 76 percent of the population in Massachusetts compared to Hispanics that comprise only 9.9 percent. Admittedly, considering the demographics and past election returns, Gomez has his work cut out for him in terms of getting elected the next U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. However, the former Navy SEAL—like former Sen. Brooke before him—can convince Democrats to cross over and vote for him. Concurrently, if he allows non-Hispanic voters in Massachusetts to get to know him, I am confident that they will vote for him based on his ideas for restoring the economy—not necessarily because of his ethnic background.

It is very possible that Gabriel Gomez can make history in Massachusetts as Ted Cruz did in Texas. He would be the first Hispanic U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and, by doing so, would make history as Ed Brooke did by being voted in by a majority white population. The Republican Party should put forth all of its efforts in this election rather than just talking about wanting more Hispanics in the party—which, by the way, it is still far from accomplishing.

Interestingly, considering that the Republican party has fewer Hispanics than the opposing Democratic Party, Hispanic Republicans are becoming a visible force in U.S. politics because they are winning key elected offices throughout the country without the benefit of capturing votes only from Hispanics. I predict that if Gomez gets elected, he will create a momentum in politics that will set forth a new beginning of Hispanic talent entering the field throughout the country—regardless of party affiliation.

The time is ripe for this to happen, and the future of America lies in the hearts and minds of these up-and-coming Hispanic candidates that no longer fear being rejected by non-Hispanics because of their ancestral homeland, their Spanish accents or the color of their skin. They are the new wave of America’s politicians, and most importantly, they are a large part of America’s tapestry.