The Republicans gave us Clint Eastwood and an empty chair.

The Democrats will give us Eva Longoria.

The 37-year-old, Texas-born actress, best known for portraying Gabrielle Solis on ABC’s “Desperate Housewives,” addresses the Democratic National Convention before President Barack Obama speaks Thursday night.

Longoria is not celebrity eye candy. She’s a longtime advocate for Latino rights and serves as one of the national co-chairs for Obama’s reelection campaign. If you’ve seen her recent interviews, you know this is smart, articulate woman.

In April, she wrote a scathing critique of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, describing him as “on the wrong side of every issue that pertains to Latinos.” She has also ardently argued for women’s rights,denouncing what she calls the GOP’s “war” on women’s healthcare.

Today Show: There’ll be ‘no empty chairs’ in my DNC speech