California went its own way: Strength of the Latino vote is a key factor

The Los Angeles Times ^ | November 4, 2010 | Cathleen Decker

[Lurking Libertarian]

In one declarative night, California on Tuesday confirmed its status as a political world unto itself, zigging determinedly Democratic while most of the rest of the country zagged Republican. Voters not only restored the governor's office to Democratic hands, they may have given Democrats a sweep of statewide offices, though uncounted ballots could still shift one race.

Driving much of the success — and distancing the state from the national GOP tide, according to exit polls — was a surge in Latino voters. They made up 22% of the California voter pool, a record tally that mortally wounded many Republicans.

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California Republicans had multiple reasons for head-shaking on Wednesday. For decades, the state party has squabbled over whether success would come more easily to candidates running as conservatives or those who presented a more moderate face to the state's sizeable bloc of independent, centrist voters. This year they tried both. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina ran a firmly conservative race and Whitman took a more moderate road.

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Nationally, non-whites made up only 22% of the Tuesday electorate; in California they made up 38%. Latinos nationally represented 8% of the national electorate, just shy of a third of their power in California. Tellingly, Latinos in California had a far more negative view of the GOP than other voters — almost 3 in 4 had an unfavorable impression, to 22% favorable. Among all California voters the view of Republicans was negative, but at a closer 61% negative and 32% positive. Latinos had a strongly positive view of Democrats, 58% to 37%, whereas all voters were closely split, 49% to 45%.

[Lurking Libertarian]

Back in Ronald Reagan's day, the Latino vote in California was very competitive between Ds & Rs; Mexican-Americans tend to be socially conservative, if economically liberal. What changed everything was Pete Wilson's support for the anti-illegal immigrant Proposition 187 in 1994; that made Mexican-Americans (even the ones whose families had been in California for decades) turn on the Republicans. California elections have never been the same since then.

[Maverick68]

Not Latino, rather MEXICAN voters.....

[Psycho_Bunny]

California slit its own throat.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

All those Mexican voters can line up outside Boxer’s and Brown’s office for handouts when all the middle class whites have left California....

[Marty62]

Cali went it’s own way...yeah right.....DON’T BOTHER COMING TO THE REST OF US FOR A BAILOUT.

[Argus]

This state is doomed.

[InternetTuffGuy]

What’s the saying — as goes Mexico, so goes California. Can’t wait for the beheadings and law by narcogopoly.

[Argus]

This state is doomed.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

California’s got a heap of electoral votes, it will remain a major contributor to the Democrat effort to take this country down.

[dirtboy]

DON’T BOTHER COMING TO THE REST OF US FOR A BAILOUT.

Yep, spending bills have to originate in the House - as in newly-GOP House. Jerry Brown will have to bail out the boat by himself.

[curiosity]

What changed everything was Pete Wilson's support for the anti-illegal immigrant Proposition 187 in 1994;

Yes, that's the conventional wisdom, I agree, but there's very little evidence to support it, and quite a bit of evidence that isn't consistent with it.

For example, opposition to 187 didn't seem to help the GOP candidate in 1998.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

At this rate, CA will be a third-world cesspool in a decade.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

“This state is doomed.”

That’s English for “AZTLAN.”

[SarahPalin2012]

The Hispanic vote nationally is 65 to 70% Democrat. This is an ominous sign for futre elections. We only have two or three election cycles to somehow remedy this — it will not be remedied by becoming Democrat Lite.

Something big will have to be done to blunt the Democratic faction. My suggestion is to cripple the unions to the point they have no real political power.

[butterdezillion]

Maybe we could build a wall around California. They need to decide whether they are US or Mexico, and as long as some good friends get out first I wouldn’t mind a bit if California became part of Mexico right before dropping into the sea.

I know that’s a terrible thing to say. Not sure if I really mean it intellectually, but it’s what I’m feeling right now. What I really want is for them to get right in the head, but if the past 2 years haven’t been a big enough kick in the pants then anything that could wake them up would most likely kill them as well.

[ScottinVA]

In one declarative night, California on Tuesday confirmed its status as a political world unto itself, zigging determinedly Democratic while most of the rest of the country zagged Republican.

Which is precisely why CA is destined to fail. They live in their own fantasy world, completely divorced from reality.

[curiosity]

I'd also add that the proportion of California Latinos voting Republican, either in statewide races or presidential contests, did not significantly change after 1992, flatly contradicting your prop-187-is-to-blame hypothesis.

[nathanbedford]

Nathan Bedford's maxim: all politics America is not local but ultimately racial.

[curiosity]

The Hispanic vote nationally is 65 to 70% Democrat.

Yup, and that percentage has been relatively stable over the last 30 years.

[Old Badger]

Pete Wilson was correct in pushing that Illegal Alien proposition.

What the new congress needs to remember NO BAILOUTS for California and New York. Let them stew in the stew of their own making. For them to forget that is at their peril!