Kammala jumla mai zuwa: A tsakiyar 2000s, Mateo ya fito a matsayin babban dan gwagwarmayar Republican da mai tara kudi. A shekara ta 2002, ya tara dala 400,000 don yakin neman zaben gwamnan New York George Pataki. A shekara ta 2003, ya kasance babban mai tara kuɗi ga Shugaba George W. Bush, wanda ya nada shi ga Hukumar Fadar White House kan Masanan Shugaban Kasa. A shekara ta 2004, ya yi magana a
Taron Jam'iyyar Republican na kasa. A shekara ta 2005, Mateo ya yi aiki a matsayin Daraktan Hispanic don sake zaben yakin neman zaben magajin garin New York City Michael Bloomberg.