Re: “...Hispanic voters whom he [Ted Cruz] views as ready for takeover by the GOP.”
What!
Is the author aware that Cruz ran for the Senate in Texas in 2012?
According to a Latino Decisions poll in that election, Cruz got just 35% of the Hispanic vote.
And that made him think Hispanic voters could be taken over by the GOP?
And that made him think Hispanic voters could be taken over by the GOP?Darn right, we're optimistic in Texas we can get more votes of conservative Hispanics!
The 2012 data you cited (35%) came from telephone interviews in Texas and not exit polls. Evidently, no exit polling data was collected that year in Texas according to the article at the link you provided.
More instructive from the recent 2014 election in Texas, NBC exit polling shows real hope for progress among Hispanic voters. Dan Patrick was the Republican winner for Lt. Governor who was most vocal about border security and removing benefits to illegal aliens. Note that he received 53% of male Hispanic votes in the exit polls.
Another surprise is this: Patrick did better than fellow Republican and governor-elect Greg Abbott in all Latino categories, compared to NBC exit polling in the governor’s race. Details:– All Latino voters: Patrick 46, Abbott 44
– Latino men: Patrick 53, Abbott 49
– Latino women: Patrick 40, Abbott 39
Source from The Dallas Morning News: My biggest Texas election surprise: Patrick thumped Van de Putte among Hispanic men
35 percent against a white liberal Democrat in 2012 for the Senate in Texas