Uhhh...no.
To the extent the recent Hispanic immigrant vote is a factor, it is because it is getting proportionally larger. Generally, that vote is always going to go to the Democrats, regardless of what position the GOP takes. There is a significant number of Hispanics which does not accept that amnesty is a good thing, BTW. 40% of Hispanics voted for Prop. 187 in California, and from what I recall, an even larger proportion voted for Prop. 200 in Arizona.
That whole "grant amnesty or Hispanics will vote against you" argument is bunk, and always has been.
What the illegal immigration debate really is comes down to the elites who benefit from illegal immigration vs. the regular joes who pay the price in higher taxes and lower wages.
I didn’t say we should grant amnesty to get that vote - but the immigration debacle didn’t help, and these comments from Tancredo and Gingrich don’t either.
the shift in the hispanic voting block in 2006, was clearly evident. if it holds in 2008, its trouble and will be most evident in these western states.