Republican Heroes Wooing Hispanics Voters

The California GOP  convention in San Diego last weekend coupled with the end of primary election season in Arizona brought two good things: the end of a hostile primary atmosphere and the possibility for new revival between Hispanics and the Republican establishment. In California and under the leadership of Ron Nehring and Meg Whitman, the State Republican Party did not allow a divisive  issue like that of the Arizona SB 1070 bill come out of the committee. They knew that the anti-immigrant rhetoric would offend Latinos, hence, both Nehring and Whitman did take a more sensitive, courageous and strong stance to prevent any hostile rhetoric against our community. Similarly, with the defeat of SB1070 in federal court in Arizona, Sen. McCain’s landslide victory in Arizona signals the end of one of darkest and thorniest chapters in Hispanic Republican relations. More importantly, it shows that when the Republican leadership takes a decisive stand, it can avert small but vociferous groups from setting the Republican agenda that antagonizes our community.

Ultra conservative delegates wanted to bring a resolution endorsing both Arizona’s controversial immigration law, but looking to turn the page, California party leaders and reportedly at the behest of Republican gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman killed the measure in committee.  One of the principle reasons why the GOP state chairman Nehring steadfastly prevented any nefarious bill to be part of the convention shows that the Republican Party wants to woo more Hispanics. Mr. Nehring’s decision to “turn the page” is an indication that Republicans are stepping up their outreach towards Latinos  hoping to repair their image and grow their ranks.   “We are building a party for the long term that transcends this election cycle…if we’re going to become a majority party in this state, we must do business a little bit differently,” Nehring said.

Chairman Nehring knows that Latinos are 21% of registered voters and Republicans need at least 60% of Latinos to win in November, but what is more telling is the symbolism that his message carries. Nehring’s actions show that the Republican establishment in California will no longer tolerate nor support any ill-advised proposition aimed to antagonizing our community. The underlying message also reflects the political reality. In California, 63% of likely Latino voters are registered Democrats, but more than a third, or 37% of Latinos see themselves as politically conservative.   Only about 17% of Latinos are registered as Republicans. Even though 37% identify as conservative, only 17% are Republicans; so Mr. Nehring want to bridge this inconsistency with his strong stance again Arizona-like bills.

Now that Sen. McCain has won the primary elections, and when he moves back to center, the leadership of the Republican establishment ought to be optimistic in winning the trust of Hispanics again. Names like McCain and Bush are already ingrained in the psyche of Hispanic ethnic culture. Despite what Democrats will claim Sen. McCain is a type of folk hero for many Hispanics. Certainly there will be obvious questions on why Sen. McCain supported the dreadful SB1070. But unfortunately this is the reality of the primary elections and candidates tend to compete on who is more conservative than the other.  After the primary election season candidates tend to transition to the center-right for the general.  McCain was falsely accused of promoting a blank “amnesty” bill so had to veer to the right in order quash those lies. By any political calculation it is certain that McCain will move to the center. The symbolic message recently sent by chairman Nehring means  that a divisive anti-immigrant hot issue will not be part of the California Republican agenda, coupled with the emotional symbolic lure of Sen. McCain among conservative Hispanics is still prevalent and can still inspire many to stay under the Republican umbrella.

It was indeed a brutal primary election season and much hate was cast upon our community by some far-right failed politicians such as Steve Poizner and JD Hayworth. As result of this, it is going to require  strong Republican leadership and symbolic leaders that are dear to the hearts of Hispanics to overpower any doubts of whether the Republican Party is the right party for Hispanics. In Texas, Perry has created a symbolic bond because he goes to the community and shakes hands with ordinary folks and talks about their issues. Also, in Texas Republicans may bring back their own folk hero from retirement — Bush.  Why not? Bush was never afraid to issue strong warning regarding amnesty when he said that this bill is not an amnesty bill. If you want to scare the American people, what you say is, the bill is an amnesty bill. It’s not an amnesty bill. That’s empty political rhetoric, trying to frighten our fellow citizens…you can pick one little aspect out of it, you can use it to frighten people.

Sen. McCain will unequivocally be a kind of folk hero for Hispanics. He has walked the scorching Arizona desert heat to visit the site where a man died of heat dehydration in search of a better life to feed his family. Moreover, it was Sen. McCain who visited the Virgen de Guadalupe Cathedrals in Mexico City in July of 2008 during his presidential campaign.  McCain openly embraced Hispanic culture when he was on his trip to Mexico City when he  paid  homage alongside his wife to one of the holiest sites for Mexican Roman Catholics. Hopefully this intimate old connection between McCain and our community can be transformed into a juxtaposition between Republican politicians and Hispanic culture.

Symbolic stances often motivate the masses more than mere political strategies because symbol and intimate feeling of one’s culture can transcend age, race and region.  We are confident that Sen. McCain will become the kind of Republican that makes an effort to visit our community to appeal to our hearts and spiritual affinities and  once again show that he cares about our issues. As a result, and in order to alleviate some of the ensuing doubt in the mind of many Hispanics about the direction of the GOP, the leadership of the Republican Party ought to take as strong stance as Mr. Nehring did  when he openly reaches out to Hispanics. Moreover, the Republican establishment must focus on working together with symbolic names dear to Hispanics. Fortunately Sen. McCain carries this symbolic bond that can be further developed into a folksy mythological hero that has embraced our ethnic identity and in that he has inspired several of us to be Republicans in the first place; he could be our hero.

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