On paper, some may believe that I am the ideal Democrat voter: a woman from the blue state of New Jersey who also happens to be Hispanic. Quite frankly, I once was a registered Democrat, as was my entire family — but that all changed when a teacher helped me secure my first internship for Governor Chris Christie’s office, and I realized that I was, in fact, a fiscal conservative.

This first realization helped me recognize that many of my values as a Hispanic are actually similar to those of the Republican Party: the importance of the family, a desire for financial stability, and a love of country.