Posted on 10/20/2007 6:39:22 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON -- The Republican Party's highest-ranking Latino official abruptly resigned Friday, marking the latest casualty in the GOP's bitter internal fight over immigration and dealing another setback to President Bush's years-long effort to court Latino voters.
The announcement by Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida that he was quitting as general chairman of the Republican National Committee came after he had expressed frustration over the tenor of the immigration debate within his party. ...
"Mel Martinez was a symbol of the party's outreach to Latinos, and that seems to be disappearing," said Lionel Sosa, a longtime Republican strategist and advisor to GOP presidents since Ronald Reagan. ...
The White House had engineered the ascent of the Cuban-born Martinez over the objections of many conservatives as part of an effort to repair the GOP's image among Latinos. That image suffered when Republican congressional leaders and conservative activists stymied administration-backed measures that would have created a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants.
Some GOP strategists say the party's poor performance among Latino voters in 2006 helped ensure Democratic victories across the country. Now, some worry that Martinez's early exit from the RNC foreshadows more trouble in 2008.
Robert de Posada, president of the Republican-leaning Latino Coalition, said Martinez's departure is especially disheartening because it follows the resignation of another high-profile Latino in the GOP: former U.S. Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales.
"The message that it sends is Latinos are not welcome," De Posada said. "The radical conservative base has a temporary victory right now."
The RNC will be run by Mike Duncan, who shared the title of chairman and was responsible for the party's day-to-day operations.
--snip--
Bush issued a brief statement saying that Martinez "represented the best of the Republican Party and its core values."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
“”The message that it sends is Latinos are not welcome,” De Posada said. “The radical conservative base has a temporary victory right now.””
Good riddance to these open borders rats!!
“”The radical conservative base has a temporary victory right now.”
Hey, he’s talkin’ ‘bout us! ;)”
I guess if you don’t want America to turn into a third world hellhole, you are a radical. Bush was surrounded with “reconquista Mexicans”
culo
“Wrong. The CLEAR message is that ILLEGALS are NOT, and NEVER will be, WELCOME.”
They ARE pro illegals. That is the difference!
“Yes he did. And it was clear he was lying, since he was a rubber-stamp in Bush’s cabinent who never questioned the President’s policies and was hand picked by George W. & Jeb to run in the primary over more conservative candidates. “
Bingo!
“It’s time our government protects US citizens instead of illegal aliens. These invaders are turning Ameirca into a Third World-——Americans are losing their constitutional and civil rights. A wake-up call should be delivered to the next president on the importance of stopping illegal immigration.”
Amen!
Jeez, I told the RNC I would donate once Martinez was gone.
“And conservatives despise martinez NOT because of his last name, but because he’s a race baiter that has no loyalty to LEGAL white, black, hispanic etc...Americans”
Exactly!
“Thanks to the ACLU and other Communist organizations, the criminals will soon have even more power and “rights.”
Soon have? They do already!
Lolllllllll, busted... :)
Wrong. The message is that illegal aliens are not welcome. Legal immigrants are welcome and encouraged. Martinez was standing with the pro-illegal alien side of the issue. Good riddance.
Good to know! When my neighbors crank up the circus music at 2 am I'd like to have something equally offensive to offer them for their listening pleasure!..:o)
I fell for the bull from Bush & Arnold. I’m not from CA so I didn't vote for Arnold and like you, I feel Condi has been a disaster on the Middle East.
We all should remember these lessons when we vote in the next primaries. I keep hearing people tell me that Rudy is the only one who can beat Hillary. I think they're just trying to scare us to support a liberal. If it comes down to Rudy or Hillary, we are doomed!
Rudy will destroy the Republicans and Hillary will destroy the country.
He’ll be the second FL Republican Martinez defeated for reelection. Governor Bob was the first in 1990 when he jumped the shark on taxes, and I doubt Sen. Mel will even win renomination, presuming he runs at all.
lol!
You’re a hoot! ;o)
I never back ? I must’ve wrote that post in a hurry in between my posts on the LA election thread, d’oh !
Yeah, I got suspended twice for ripping into Ah-nold during the ‘03 recall. I reminded my FReeper friends that supporting a liberal with sleazy morals and a fairly solid RINO was likely to yield dreadful results. As we soon found out, Ah-nold was clearly quite comfortable with carrying out th liberal Democrat agenda under the “R” label. The party has gained nothing on his watch.
A primary challenge would be too difficult, and the RNC would just interfere anyway. I agree though, that we can’t let the ‘rats get that seat.
I am probably the single most vocal FReeper in opposition to Romney, whom in many ways I consider far more dangerous than Rudy (and he exhibits a lot of Ah-nold characteristics and the “only he can defeat Hillary” schtick). I think the entire Rudy McRomney troika would be a fiasco for us. Fortunately, since McCain was about as popular as AIDS on FR, we never had a contingent of his shills to deal with. There were quite a few Rudybots, but we got rid of them. Now it’s the Mittwitts that are the big problem on FR. Constantly attacking Fred and his wife, spreading lies and misrepresenting themselves and their candidate as some sort of Conservative that he never was and never will be, all the while ignoring the fact that he buried the MA GOP and fled the state after leaving a ghastly mess behind him — to seek a promotion ! I’m hoping the mods and JimRob give the thumbs up to finally sack these destructive twits so we can largely come together behind Fred for President (and Duncan Hunter for Sec of Defense).
Martinez’s approval rating is in the 30% range, which means he’s about as popular as Katherine Harris (who was destroyed by an unpopular rodent, all because his disapproval ratings were lower than hers). If the party is stupid enough to back him in 2010, this will be another gift we give to the rodents.
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