Gabriel R. Sanchez,PhD

Vice President of Research

Gabe Sanchez, Ph.D., is Vice President of Research of BSP Research, and formerly was a Principal at the research firm Latino Decisions. Gabe is the Founding Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Endowed Chair in Health Policy at the University of New Mexico and the Director of the UNM Center for Social Policy.

Sanchez is a leading expert on Hispanic 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. He is a nationally recognized expert in survey research methodology and the utilization of rigorous research to inform public policy decisions at the federal, state, and local levels.

Recently, Sanchez has lead several research projects focused on the impact of COVID-19 on the Latino and Native American communities, including multiple survey 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, in particular in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Along with Matt Barreto, Sanchez has written several expert witness reports utilized in lawsuits challenging restrictive voter ID laws, and courts have credited his research in striking down such restrictive laws.

Gabe’s research has pioneered the use of Hispanic identity-salience as a lens to understand how and why Latino voters engage politics, or feel left out. His research was among the first to document the clear link between perceived ethnic discrimination and a heightened sense of in-group Latino identity which can propel high rates of political engagement and support for immigrant rights. Following the 2016 election, he co-authored the book Latinos and the 2016 Election:Latino Resistance and the Election of Donald Trump, and is the co-author of the forthcoming book (with John A. Garcia) Latino Politics in America: Community, Culture, and Interests.