The National Council of La Raza, which bills itself as the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., welcomed the nomination of Gonzales to succeed John Ashcroft.

"We are very encouraged by the Gonzales nomination," said the glowing endorsement by La Raza. "We previously criticized the Bush administration for not having an Hispanic in the cabinet since the departure of former HUD Secretary, now Senator-elect, Mel Martinez. We are pleased that one of the first acts since the president’s re-election both rectifies that situation and marks an historic milestone for the Latino community. Never before has a Hispanic served as head of one of the four major Cabinet posts – secretary of State, Treasury, Defense and attorney general," said Janet Murguia, NCLR executive director and chief operating officer.

But it wasn't just the historical breakthrough that thrilled La Raza. It was also the fact that he is one of their own. [Emphasis mine].

"Alberto Gonzales served with distinction on the board of directors of one of NCLR’s oldest and most respected affiliates, the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans in Houston, Texas," she said. "Moreover, during his tenure as White House counsel, he has been one of the most accessible members of the White House staff to NCLR and other Hispanic organizations."