GOP sounds alarm on Latino voter gap [Graham, Steele, Martinez, Crist] [amnesty] [RINO wars]

Politico ^ | 2009-05-18 | Ben Smith

[rabscuttle385]

The Republican Party has scarcely begun to repair a wound that threatens to confine it to minority status: its 2006 collapse among Hispanic voters.

Driven by some Republicans’ sharp attacks on illegal immigration and — as many Hispanics perceived it, immigrants in general — Latino voters fled the GOP en masse in the midterm elections, then turned on John McCain, as well.

. . . . .

There are stirrings of a Republican response. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has spoken with Hispanic leaders about creating a new organization to back Latino candidates. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele has made minority outreach a priority at the RNC. And some Republicans see an opening if Obama continues to defer action on overhauling immigration.

. . . . .

A spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Brian Walsh, said that candidate recruitment for 2010 is still under way and noted that Martinez himself had endorsed Crist, in part for his moderate stance on immigration.

But Graham, who said he sympathized with the Senate Republican leadership’s decision to back a candidate with a good chance of winning, also raised concerns about the Florida decision.

“The key for our party is to have Hispanic candidates to carry our banner,” Graham said. “I don’t blame them for trying to make sure we don’t lose another seat in Florida. But at the same time, clearly Mr. Rubio is the type of person who would lead our party in Florida and the country to a new level.”

Graham said he’s considering forming a political action committee, or some other entity, aimed at recruiting strong Hispanic Republican candidates.

[SharpRightTurn]

“And their are millions more who want to see a reform of immigration that does not involve millions of families who have been a part of America for years if not decades being forced out of their homes and country. There are millions more who simply do not care one way or the other.

“If deportation was such an important issue to so many Americans as you say, something would have come of it by now particularly in an economic recession. Even in last year’s election, both McCain and Obama supported citizenship over deportation.”

j.simmons: Are you here legally?

[ansel12]

Hispanics in California are a huge voting block, regardless of their religion. Yes, they may be somewhat influenced by their religion but most have this countrys future in mind as well as their own. They, like us, have different opinions.....we need to start listening to those opinions. The problem I see is that most don’t know our history and how we got here. This fact makes it extremely difficult to get through to them. They have a very strong tie to the Hispanic way of life.

I give up I don't know what you are talking about.

[ansel12]

Hispanics flocked to Obama because nothing unites like a common enemy — white people.

Hispanics did not flock to Obama.

[j.simmons]

Your comment is the exact reason why Hispanics and other minorities flock to the Democrats. I was hoping those with your diseased beliefs would have got the message back at the Republican Convention in 1996 when Bob Dole made it clear that Pat Buchanan and malcontents such as yourself were not welcome in out party. Leave and do not darken our doorstep again.

[j.simmons]

I am neither nor both.

[AuntB]

You win the straw man agrument of the day. You know well enough the media whores wouldn’t give Hunter the time of day. Voters vote the name they recognize. The one that keeps being thrown out to them. People elected Hitler! How do you think Obama won?

Then check any poll. US citizens do NOT want amnesty.

[j.simmons]

Yes, I was born here, and no, I’m not Hispanic. I take it you are FR’s resident comedian?

[Pan_Yan]

Face it, illegal immigration is not that big of an issue for most Republicans.

If this is the case why did congress and the President back off from their amnesty plans a few years ago when both parties supported it?

[j.simmons]

Hispanics voted for Obama over McCain 2 to 1. It the duty of Republicans to determine why that was so and how to change it to our benefit. A similar problem exists with Catholic voting.

[SharpRightTurn]

“j.simmons: Are you here legally?”

“Yes, I was born here, and no, I’m not Hispanic. I take it you are FR’s resident comedian?”

No offense intended. I thought it was either that or that “j.simmons” is a screen name for Lindsay Graham.

[lady lawyer]

If you didn’t catch the strong whiff of anti-white triumphalism at the inauguration, you just weren’t paying attention.

Usually, there is not a lot of love lost between Blacks and Hispanics. Except when they can unite against a common enemy.

[j.simmons]

They obviously are not so upset with “amnesty” that they would actually take time out of their day to find out which candidates actually supported it and which didn’t.

[ansel12]

I am neither nor both.

All anyone needs to do is to read your liberal, trolling posting history here at FR to see what you are politically.

[j.simmons]

Apparently much has changed since then. Or perhaps opponents of citizenship were just more vocal at the time than proponents.

[Niteflyr]

Do you see any pattern yet?

Yeah just like in Mexico they (as a group) vote for anyone who will take care of them like dependent children, regardless of religion. You can take the Mexican out of the country but you can't take the country out of the Mexican. My heritage is Dutch/Irish but I don't fly either flag because I am an American. Not Dutch-American...not Irish-American. But Mexicans in this country sure love to fly the Mexican flag and call themselves Mexican-Americans or Hispanic-Americans. So I guess I must be dissing my ancestry?

[Niteflyr]

Hispanics flocked to Obama because nothing unites like a common enemy — white people.

You are correct...some of the most racist people I ever met are Hispanic...and there are many like that here.

[j.simmons]

Or win they both see the GOP as a party that does not embrace their people and their beliefs. America’s Ozzie & Harriet days are over. It is time for the Republican Party to face reality and adapt or die off.

[AuntB]

“They obviously are not so upset with “amnesty” that they would actually take time out of their day to find out which candidates actually supported it and which didn’t.”

Most of the public has no idea what the truth of the ‘immigration’ situation is. When people who do know were asked, it looked like this:

Monday, January 15, 2007

By Aaron Bruns
FoxNews
California Rep. Duncan Hunter won a Phoenix, Ariz., straw poll of GOP insiders. Sen. John McCain finished fourth in his home state and was named the most unacceptable presidential candidate.

Maricopa County, Arizona GOP Straw Poll Results

http://sonoranalliance.com/?p=599

First Choice for Presidential Candidate:
1 Hunter
2 Romney
3 Gingrich
4 McCain
5 Rice
6 Tancredo
7 Giuliani
8 Brownback
9 Huckabee
10 Hagel
11 Barbour
12 Pataki

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,243740,00.html

[j.simmons]

I am a moderately conservative Republican who is tired of the constant backstabbing and trouble making instigated by a tiny minority of malcontents within the GOP who would rather take the party down with them than change their ways and actually accomplish something.

[ansel12]

Yeah just like in Mexico they (as a group) vote for anyone who will take care of them like dependent children, regardless of religion.

That is a lie, I have to assume that you have been reading the previous posts which means that you know that isn't true.