10 Questions For The Sanchez Sisters

By Loretta Sanchez; Linda Sanchez; Josh Tyrangiel Sunday, Dec. 15, 2002
    • Loretta Sanchez, 42, is a three-term democrat from orange county, Calif.; starting in January, her little sister Linda, 33 (below right), will represent a district in Los Angeles County, making the Sanchezes the first sister act in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives. And as they confided to TIME's Josh Tyrangiel, they plan to get an apartment together in Washington.

    IF YOU TWO MOVE IN TOGETHER, HOW LONG BEFORE YOU BECOME A REALITY SERIES? Loretta: Well, there was somebody who said they wanted to base a sitcom on us.


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    WOULD YOU PLAY YOURSELVES? Linda: No. I'd find somebody who's far thinner and more beautiful. What's the point in having your life portrayed if you can't have it glamorized? I'd want it to be a Latina actress — Cameron Diaz would be nice. I've never been tall and thin like that. Loretta: I've got a big booty, so I guess I'd have to go with J. Lo.

    THAT MIGHT MAKE FUND RAISING A LOT EASIER. SO WHO'S THE MESSIER SANCHEZ? Linda: That'd be me. I'm not necessarily messy. I just put things in piles. It works for me. I don't have to have my Post-its arranged by color and size on my desk.

    ARE YOU SUGGESTING YOUR SISTER IS A CONTROL FREAK? LINDA: To Loretta, if you drape your coat over a chair, the order of the cosmos comes to a screeching halt.

    WHICH OF YOU IS MORE LIKELY TO VOTE WITH THE REPUBLICANS? Loretta: Me. Linda's much more liberal. She's more emotionally tied to her positions. I'm a businesswoman. I'm used to give and take. Linda: I come from an advocate's perspective, not that I'm unwilling to compromise. You guys obviously have your differences. Is it true that you once fought for an entire year? Loretta: The silent treatment isn't like fighting. Linda: Yeah, it's not like we fought. We just didn't speak. Loretta: And we've got three siblings. The odds are at any time you'll be mad at one of them.

    LINDA, WHOM ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING WHEN YOU GET TO CONGRESS? Linda: I already met him — Congressman John Lewis. I read his autobiography, Walking with the Wind, and it was incredibly inspirational. I hugged him when I met him. I think I embarrassed him. I said, "Oh, my God, you're so fabulous!"

    LORETTA, WHAT'S YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT WASHINGTON? Loretta: Really, it's that I'm always working. Nobody ever calls and says, "Hey, I've got tickets to the Kennedy Center tonight. Why don't you come?" It's sad. Been like that all my life, sitting home by the phone.

    WON'T THAT CHANGE WITH YOUR SISTER NEARBY? Loretta: No. Linda will go out a lot ... Linda: Underscore a lot. Loretta: She'll go drinking with the boys. Linda: I love sporting events. But the last time I went to a sporting event with Loretta, we went to a boxing match; she read the newspaper.

    DOES IT WORRY YOU THAT IF YOU LIVE AND WORK TOGETHER, YOU'LL GET SICK OF EACH OTHER? Loretta: Nah. It's one of those jobs where you don't really run into each other too much. We'll never see each other except to go down to vote.