Martinez, Pearce: How To Win Hispanic Votes (NM)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | November 27, 2012 | Michael Coleman

[CedarDave]

As national Republican leaders fret about their party’s showing among Hispanics in the Nov. 6 elections and consider the GOP’s future, they might want to check in with a couple of prominent New Mexico Republicans.

Rep. Steve Pearce, who represents New Mexico’s border with Mexico, and Gov. Susana Martinez, who hails from the border-area town of Las Cruces, both have plenty to say about their party and Hispanic politics.

In a telephone interview Monday, Martinez said Romney’s weak result among Hispanics, who chose Obama by a more than 3-1 ratio nationally, isn’t necessarily a harbinger of things to come for the GOP. But she advised Republicans to craft “positive” instead of punitive ideas for immigration reform and drop the harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric.

~~snip~~

Pearce is a hard-line conservative on most issues, but on immigration reform his stance softens a bit. Pearce has long favored implementing a guest worker program that would allow immigrants to come to the U.S., work and make money and then return home. He reasons that not every immigrant wants citizenship and that those who do can earn it through the normal process.

Pearce, who had about 40 percent support among Hispanics in his district in a late October Journal poll, told me Republicans don’t have to cave on key immigration debates, such as offering a “path to citizenship” for those already in the U.S. illegally. But the GOP does need to establish relationships with the Hispanic community.

“You broaden your appeal by showing up,” Pearce said. “You begin to know people, and they begin to know you. If you’re not willing to do that hard work … it’s hard to get that support. It’s not about patronizing or giving ground; it’s about relationships.”

[CedarDave]

A few weeks ago I did a county-by-county analysis of Steve's win. Here are the results:

In New Mexico, Congressional district 2 occupies the southern half of the state. The boundary is a slightly WNW-ESE line south of the I-40 corridor (south of Gallup, ABQ, Santa Rosa, Clovis). Republican registration is 34%. The area includes lots of Latino voters, the oil and gas fields, Mexican border counties and rural ranchers.

Tea-party conservative Steve Pearce won re-election with 59.2% of the vote not only in the oil patch but in most counties too (The Democratic candidate was Evelyn Madrid Erhard). I'm not sure of his secret (besides hard work) but the GOPe needs to emulate this for future victories.

Democratic counties and percentages:

• Bernalillo 45-54
• Cibola 49-50
• Dona Ana 47-52
• Grant 48-51
• Guadalupe 44-55
• Luna 49-50
• McKinley 49-50

Republican counties and percentages:

• Catron 74-25
• Chaves 68-31
• DeBaca 72-27
• Eddy 67-32
• Hidalgo 60-39
• Lea 79-20
• Lincoln 71-27
• Otero 65-33
• Roosevelt 79-19
• Sierra 64-35
• Socorro 56-42
• Valencia 56-42

One more thing -- Lea, Eddy and Chaves counties make up SE NM Oil Patch - jobs are plentiful, "help wanted" signs everywhere, and skills bring a premium salary and benefits. These folks vote to protect their jobs and are rightfully wary of what Obama will do to shut down their livelihood.

On the other hand majority-Hispanic counties in NM-3 (from District 1 due-north to the Colorado border) voted 79%-83% for the Democratic candidate, Ray Lujan. They have been the recipient of years of government largesse, especially since the rabid enviros in Santa Fe and elsewhere shut down mining, lumbering and other natural resource extraction. Interestingly, the Navajo's in the four-corners region did not necessarily vote for the Dems as many are employed in coal mining or as power plant workers. They, too, realize their jobs are on the line as a result of a second-term Obama administration.

[9YearLurker]

I take it that his secret is the same as Gov. Martinez’s secret—being pro-amnesty.

That position might help an individual pol in a Hispanic-heavy district or state, but it would or will be the death of conservatism and the GOP nationwide, where the policy can be fully implemented.

We need to look at their positions as cautionary tales, not examples to follow.

[traditional1]

How to get Illigal Latinos to vote Republican?

Simple....remove ALL entitlements to non-U.S.Citizens.

Step 2...any U.S. Citizen who identifies an Illegal collects a Bounty of $1000, and the Illegal is Deported immmediately, no delays whatsoever.

Step 3...Depositing a baby while Illegally in the USA does NOT confer Automatic U.S. Citizenship; it simply is another Foreigner's off-spring, and Citizen of that Motherland, NOT a burden to be placed on U.S. Taxpayers.

[ilgipper]

#1 is don’t let your opponent define YOU. Our side sits on it’s hands and thinks three weeks of heavy ad spend right before an election will undo several years of 24/7 propaganda. It doesn’t. Even when we have won in the past decade and a half it is by a thin margin due to this fact. We have to start playing the game by today’s rules with internet advertising, education, idea outreach 365 days a year.

Bottom line, I don’t think Romney lost Latinos for any other reason than that too many thought he was a rich guy who didn’t care about them.

[Dr. Ursus]

We spent forty years saying why don’t blacks like us.Now,you can substitute Hispanics in the same scenarios.
They vote their own self interests.If the dumb white Dems
did the same thing,we wouldn’t have to worry about this
crap!

[CedarDave]

We need to look at their positions as cautionary tales, not examples to follow.

If you read the article, his position is not pro-amnesty. And you don't pander or patronize them; you offer them a better way to succeed and prosper. And it takes hard work and establishment of relationships. Before he sold his oilfield service company, Steve had a good relationship with his employees (many who are Hispanic) - keeping them on when times were bad, and now in politics he continues to establish these. As he says in the article, if you're not willing to do hard work, you're not going to win.

[CedarDave]

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[txrefugee]

The ticket to buy Mexican love: amnesty and free stuff for anyone who can buy or walk their way over the border.

[9YearLurker]

If you don’t think guest worker programs will lead to amnesty, you’re kidding yourself.

[alloysteel]

Conservative principles, when well articulated, win every time.

The problem lies not with the target audience, it is with the articulation of what conservatives are and what they believe. Conservative positions are in the self interest of most people, regardless of skin color or national origin.

Unfortuantely, many Republicans either do not KNOW what those conservative principles are, or cannot bring themselves to address them, both for themselves and for their potential constituents.

[comebacknewt]

I think he is probably right. The other vital part of the equation, however, is to completely shut off the border to those who come here for evil purposes, or to simply collect a check.

Until that is done, none of these other “reforms” matter.

I also agree with Martinez and Pearce that a big part of it is investing the time / effort to make contacts in the Hispanic community. Right now, the RATs are in there every day telling them the GOP hates them and wants them to fail.

If we have no one there to even attempt to answer those baseless charges, why should we be surprised when the election turns out the way it did?

[blueunicorn6]

I vote to change our name to Mexico.

[dirtboy]

Even securing the border first represents problems:

1) Secure the border.

2) Grant amnesty

3) New Dem supermajority votes to tear down border fence.

Amnesty will create a perpetual Dem voting block. Republicans who dream of hijacking it are oblivious to reality.

[AuH2ORepublican]

“Interestingly, the Navajo’s in the four-corners region did not necessarily vote for the Dems as many are employed in coal mining or as power plant workers. They, too, realize their jobs are on the line as a result of a second-term Obama administration.”

---

Are you sure about that? Apache County, AZ, which is 72% Native American and where almost all Native Americans are Navajos (that’s where most of the Navajo reservation land in AZ is located—ironically, next-door Navajo County is where most Hopis live), voted 66.16% for Obama in 2012, up from 63.19% in 2008 (and with higher turnout). And McKinley County, NM (75% Native American and mostly Navajo) gave Obama 72.08% in 2012, up slightly from 71.41% in 2008. So I think that the Navajos voted just as strongly Democrat as ever, and likely even more heavily Democrat than before.

[norton]

First thing 'pubs need to do is force the debate to separate 'immigrant' and 'illegal immigrant'. They've let the left frame itself as nice to people from other places while conservatives hate anyone who isn't white 'like them'.

It is also true, as the article states, that huge numbers of mexicans come here to set themselves up for a comfy return home after some number of years. So be it. A temporary worker program that included controls and reasonable taxes on funds exported prior to the worker's return home - and that the US actually enforced - could work for all concerned.

It is the illegal border crosser that should be targeted, particularly if there are ways to legally come here and work. The first obligation should be to respect our laws!

No anchor babies...if someone was carried here as a child let them prove in court how they will contribute to American siciety (work and contribute, not just reside) to support a petition for a work permit and eventually for citizenship if hey stay clean. No other exceptions, including 'family unification' bogus marriages, fear of actually being mexican, or 12 years of tax funded lower eduction. Then, of course, ENFORCE the rules.

[GeronL]

guest worker program.... because we have too many jobs in America?

How about we make illegal aliens not able to get any type of welfare, no schools, no nothing.

There is already a path to citizenship and legal residency, there is already a guest worker program (ever heard of work visas??)

[CedarDave]

I’m right about the numbers but probably wrong about the conclusion.

From the NM SOS office for District 3:

BEN R. LUJAN
DEMOCRATIC PARTY 40.81%

JEFFERSON L. BYRD
REPUBLICAN PARTY 59.19%

For President:

BARACK OBAMA and JOE BIDEN
DEMOCRATIC PARTY 34.29%

MITT ROMNEY and PAUL RYAN
REPUBLICAN PARTY 62.39%

San Juan County produces coal, oil, and natural gas, and has two large coal-fired power plant complexes. Though the Navajo Reservation occupies a large area of the county it is sparsely populated compared to the big communities of Farmington, Bloomfield and Aztec. Jobs are important to the people in the area and Obama’s threats to curtail oil and gas production, and shut down coal fired power plants no doubt contributed to voters pulling the lever for Republicans. I suspect, however, that the largely Navajo areas voted as you said.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Yes, San Juan County voted even more heavily for Romney than it did for McCain (62.57% for Romney vs. 59.92% for McCain), although still not as high as the 65.60% it gave to Bush in 2004. As you mentioned, the reservations are far less populated than Farmington, etc. While the county’s population is 37% Native American, I doubt that 37% of voters are Native American, much less Navajo. But you may be right that Navajos vote a bit less Democrat in San Juan County than in Apache County, AZ to its west or in McKinley County, NM to its south.

[zeestephen]

Re: “ GOP Gov. Susana Martinez has plenty to say about the Republican Party and Hispanic politics.”

I read the entire editorial.

It omitted one key fact.

Anyone here like to guess how Gov. Martinez did with Hispanic voters in 2010?

61% voted AGAINST her!

She has Mexican heritage on BOTH sides of her family, she's giving advice to the GOP, and 61% of Hispanics voted against her!

There is one - and only one - thing going on here.

Except for Cubans, most Hispanics are Socialists.

They will NEVER vote in large numbers for Conservatives.

[cynwoody]

Anyone here like to guess how Gov. Martinez did with Hispanic voters in 2010?

61% voted AGAINST her!

She has Mexican heritage on BOTH sides of her family, she's giving advice to the GOP, and 61% of Hispanics voted against her!

And, oddly enough, according to the article, Steve Pearce did one point better with Hispanics, despite being an old white guy with no Hispanic heritage.

Susana Martinez

Steve Pearce