Posted on 11/07/2004 10:25:00 AM PST by CedarDave
Northern New Mexico's counties with large percentages of Hispanic voters remain a firm Democratic stronghold, last week's presidential election results show— but at least two northern counties didn't deliver as well for John Kerry as expected.
Republican George W. Bush improved his numbers over those of the 2000 election in both Rio Arriba and Guadalupe counties, contributing to a lead of about 8,500 votes... in New Mexico's still-incomplete vote tally.
Kerry's share of the vote in Rio Arriba— where more than 70 percent of the population and 80 percent of registered voters are Hispanic— was the smallest for a Democrat in at least the past five presidential elections.
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In 2000, Bush garnered just 29 percent of the vote in Rio Arriba. This year he got 34 percent. In Guadalupe County, Bush took 40 percent of the vote this time, compared to just 33 percent in 2000.
"I think social conservatism was the biggest issue in Rio Arriba through the whole campaign, and I think at some point the vets got on board— neither was a strong issue four years ago," said Ethel Schwiner, chair of the Rio Arriba County Republican Party.
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"The Hispanic counties that underperformed (for Kerry) in this election cycle compared to four years ago are Guadalupe and Rio Arriba," said Brian Sanderoff, whose firm conducts polls for the Journal. "The Hispanic counties that also have a substantial proportion of white, educated liberals— Taos and Santa Fe— continue to shine for the Democrats, as does San Miguel."
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Sanderoff attributed the lower percentage of Hispanic support for Kerry in New Mexico to several factors, including the anti-Kerry "swift boat" Vietnam veterans' ads, social issues like abortion and gay marriage, and the war on terror.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
In an interview on Fox News, Newt Gingrich says Bush got 41% of the Hispanic vote nationwide, one of the best G.O.P. showing in history.
New Mexico PING!
"Ultimately it was the electorate's feelings toward Kerry which cost him the election," Sanderoff said. "Why did the nation re-elect President Bush when only 40 percent of the voters feel the nation is going on the right track?"
Like Gore, Kerry just didn't catch on with the public. If it wasn't for the biased liberal media backing Kerry and the ABB movement, the President would have won by a massive landslide.
Interesting comment. Here is something that happened yesterday to me.
I have a home in the Albuquerque area that I am selling in the spring, but work in the oil patch in SE NM. I have a RV trailer that I'm living in parked in a mobile home park. Last week a large mobile home was moved in across from me and a big extended family of Hispanics moved in. I was a little bit worried because my little space and my P/U had Vets for Bush and Rep. Pearce signs up all over the place. Yesterday, I met the head of the family while walking my dog. He commented on the signs and said he voted for Bush. He told all his family and friends that Kerry was just pandering to them. I thanked him for his comments. Of course his being a driver for Halliburton may have something to do with it!
I think one of the things most people overlook about Hispanics is their love of family. In an election where morals, security, religion, and the future of all three were major concerns . . . I find it easy to understand why more Hispanics voted for GW.
I think that Bush won pretty big with Hispanic Females in NM.
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