Posted on 04/24/2011 5:10:49 AM PDT by GonzoII
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The GOP becomes a viable option for Hispanics
Posted By Johnny F. Luevano Jr. On April 22, 2011 @ 8:02 am In Commentary,Luévano Columns | 6 Comments
The proof is in the pudding. Hispanic Republicans like Gov. Susana Martinez – Hispanic Business Magazine’s 2011 Woman of the Year – are making inroads in politics across the nation.
Just over a year ago, I wrote a column that praised the New Mexico Republican Party for its efforts in fielding highly qualified Hispanic candidates. Well the article didn’t go over very well with many folks; I was chastised for not mentioning other GOP Hispanic candidates and for basing my argument on select tidbits of New Mexico political history.
All valid points, but the intention of my argument was merely to give the GOP credit for making a concerted improvement in reaching out to Hispanics both locally and nationally.
As the sayings go, the proof is in the pudding and results don’t lie. The 112th Congress has a record number of Hispanic Republicans including Senator Marco Rubio from Florida and Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler from the State of Washington (Yes, I did say Washington). Of course our own Susana Martinez became the first female governor of New Mexico and Republican Brian Sandoval became the governor of Nevada.
Republican Hispanics made other great gains in many state-level elections as well, which includes our own history-making Secretary of State Dianna Duran and Lt. Gov. John Sanchez.
But the trend doesn’t end with GOP Hispanic candidates. Improvements are being made with women and African-American Republican candidates as well. This isn’t to say that the GOP is outperforming the Democratic Party in these demographics, but the facts point to a marked improvement as we begin to shift to the 2012 election cycle.
Rather than bicker over the history and the numbers of elected officials, the biggest question to be answered is, why are Hispanics beginning to side with the Republican Party? This isn’t an argument that I enthusiastically bring forward; it is the Democrats who eagerly inject racial warfare into the political debate and argue that they don’t know how anyone of Hispanic heritage can be a Republican.
Johnny F. Luévano Jr.
A Hispanic can be a Republican because we are very patriotic Americans who take great pride in working hard to provide for our families. The Hispanic community is naturally a faith-based, conservative culture with an overwhelming love and respect for the old-school, fundamental values that make America exceptionally great. We strongly believe in putting family first and family often.
Hispanics eagerly serve in our military and we proudly support veterans in our communities. We have a prestigious wartime military legacy, having earned over 40 Medals of Honor dating back to the Civil War.
Simply put, Hispanics have always answered our nation’s call to serve, and our current political fight to save America from the brink of economic ruin is no different. The fight against runaway government spending is today’s call to service, and the Hispanic community will not allow our country to lose the battle without joining those who lead from the front on this issue.
The distasteful Democratic rhetoric of class and racial warfare is an out-of-date argument that will not divide a community that has always proudly stood by the idea that we are all Americans. In fact, the 2010 election results prove the opposite; we will fight against those who attempt to divide our country through the ole’ Democratic playbook of economic class and racial warfare.
Now make no mistake, I am not here to pronounce the GOP the new home for Hispanics, nor am I advocating voting for candidates simply based on race or ethnicity. My argument is that, overall, the GOP is doing better in putting forward highly qualified Hispanic candidates, and supporting any Republican based on the merit of the candidate is a viable option for all Hispanics to consider.
Hispanics can rid themselves of the guilt to blindly support Democrats solely on the idea of family tradition. My mother strongly believes that John F. Kennedy was the best president in American history, so who I am to argue? I embrace the JFK values of “a hand-up, not a hand-out” and “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
Rest assured folks, the current Democratic Party resembles nothing close to those self-sacrificing American values that JFK promoted when your mother and father were growing up.
Luévano, a Renewed Republican, is a lifelong New Mexico resident and an Artesia native who will be moving back to Albuquerque this August. He graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2001 with a bachelor’s in political science and economics and from the University of Kansas in 2008 with a master’s in public administration. You can reach Luévano at johnnyluevano.com or find him on Facebook.
6 Comments To "The GOP becomes a viable option for Hispanics"
#1 Comment By Ramirez On April 22, 2011 @ 12:09 pm
Well put. I hope Northern NM can become a new area that the GOP can work, especially with a hispanic candidate.
#2 Comment By jivaro99 On April 23, 2011 @ 5:01 am
The problem all along is that so many of the Hispanics do not realize that what they believe in is the same thins conservatives believe in and the GOP has been lax in including them in their educational endeavors. To entice anyone to your side, you first must outline what your beliefs are and include the entire public in those ideals.
This is where the GOP failed. They included only parts of the society in their education. There are millions of Hispanics, as well as other ethnic groups America, registered as liberals, but their basic belief is of conservative nature. But, so many of them have heard the word Democracy as the word that stands for America’s greatness and equate that with the word Democrat. Nothing could be farther apart in reality. It is definitely time for the GOP to include all ethnic groups in their educational programs.
#3 Comment By IcarusPhoenix On April 23, 2011 @ 10:34 am
But, so many of them have heard the word Democracy as the word that stands for America’s greatness and equate that with the word Democrat.
Thank you, Mr. Doyle, for further demonstrating your true colors by basing your entire premise on the idea that non-white=unintelligent.
#4 Comment By gm On April 23, 2011 @ 11:29 am
I know we all look alike but we don’t all think alike. Really really…….The GOP is not in the business of “educating”…Here in Northern NM we all know the diff between conservatism and liberalism…..Dems control because they own the school boards, the State, the counties, the cities, the electrical coop boards….u name it……..All translates into jobs, jobs, jobs…..U live the life of a liberal, u soon believe like one……..
BTW, I don’t want anyone reaching out to me because I’m of Latino descent…….I consider that patronizing….I couldn’t give a damn less if u like green chile…..
#5 Comment By jivaro99 On April 23, 2011 @ 11:48 am
Icarus the color of a man’s skin has nothing to do with his intelligence, that only comes from an open mind. For your information I am half Indian as well as half white. What would that make me, half intelligent?
As far as true colors, I have never tried to hide the fact that I am a conservative, nor do I try to stand behind race as a shield. I believe we were all created in God’s image, no matter the color of skin or ethnic origin. How do you rate yourself Icarus?
Casting stones is easy, but the truth will always out.
#6 Comment By IcarusPhoenix On April 23, 2011 @ 2:13 pm
Mr. Pruitt:
That was the clear implication of your words; the ways in which you justify your demonstrably unsustainable world view are ever more perplexing, though perhaps I should have said that you held that opinion of “non-Americans” or “non-English speakers” rather than “non-whites”; as for your “true colors”, a man who frequently tries to revise American history to meet his bizarre worldview, has such an obviously tenuous grasp on science, and who has been caught lying about his own past by the editor of this very website is hardly someone from whom I will take seriously the phrase, “the truth will out.”
And gm, it’s hard for people “living the lives of liberals” (whatever that’s supposed to mean…) not to think like liberals when facts and results keep proving us correct.
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Nothing new here, the observation was made a long time ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgxsjrrGeiY
Whom ever made the comment that "they're all Mexicans" is a troll trying to start controversy. He knows that many Hispanics are offended by being called Mexicans. I bet he is a twisted Hispanic trying to keep "his people" on the democratic reservation.
I also. However, it astounds me the lengths that some hispanics go to to excuse their illegal cousins. All simply because they share the language of a former conqueror.
“Its the “myth of the hispanic voter”.”
I thought I made that clear when I outlined how different Hispanics would vote differently.
Absolutely not.
Humans are classified as belonging to 5 races, and Mexicans are not amongst them.
Negroid,
Caucasian,
Australian aborigine
Mongoloid/oriental
American Indian
Mexicans are a mix of Spanish Caucasian and American Indian. Mexican is a culture but definitely not a race.
No one wants to be paying $5.00 for a gallon of gasoline.
That’s like saying people from the USA are all one race. Sorry but I don’t buy it.
The race is mostly Mestizo, with a small elite minority who are Caucasian (Spanish) and an additional minority that is indigenous (Indio).
So the “race” is actually a mixed race.
Thanks for this article.
Americans are a people of mixed races. Race is not a dirty word it's simply used to identify a given group of people. If you understand the term racist then that implies you understand the word race.
"Sorry but I don’t buy it."
No one is trying to pull a fast one, this is simply dealing with the definition of a word.
"What race is that? Caucasian? Mongolian?"
;0)
Thanks for this article.
—
No problem.
I hear ya. I just disagree.
“race: 2 a : the descendants of a common ancestor : a family, tribe, people, or nation belonging to the same stock -Websters”
That does not describe Mexicans or Americans, who encompass a mix of all races coming from various families, tribes, people and nations.
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