[RJL]

GWB got plenty of Hispanic votes - 44% in 2004. in 2006, they broke 69/31 Dem.

That’s why we are losing these western states, because of the shift in Hispanic voters to the Dems.

No one to blame but Bush, his lack of a winning plan on illegal immigration led to defeat 2006.

Two years ago even Senator Frist was saying secure the borders first. If, at that time Bush had worked with fellow Republicans and truly secured the border, he could have come back to a Republican congress a year or two later and asked for a guest worker plan, they would have gladly passed that.

Then Bush could have sailed into the past elections with his fellow Republicans happy with a secure border and Hispanics happy with a guest worker plan, a win-win strategy.

But no, Bush went with the lose-lose strategy, where he alienated his base Republican voters and angered the Hispanics who then voted 70% for Democrats.

Fellow Republicans paid the price for his short sightedness.

[Cedric]

I think Bush {and Rove} believe they ARE taking the long view. They remember what happened after Pete Wilson’s phyric victory in California in what was portrayed as an anti-Latino campaign.

[oceanview]

that’s exactly right, and you should post that again and again on the immigration threads, its a very good analysis. the mistake Bush made on immigration, was the “everything at once” approach - when the “first let’s do this, then we’ll do this” approach was what was needed.

so he polarized everyone with it.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

No one to blame but Bush, his lack of a winning plan on illegal immigration led to defeat 2006.

This makes no sense. Anyone that has immigration as a passionate issue is not going to forsake the Republican party expecting the Democrats to be stronger on the issue. That would be folly.