GOP's lost opportunity among Hispanics is enormous
In a new, in-depth Marist poll, 35 percent of Latino-Americans describe themselves as somewhat to very conservative. Only 27 percent describe themselves as somewhat to very liberal.
Yet when asked to identify by political party, the shift is dramatic. Just 16 percent identify as Republican, while 47 percent identify as Democrats. That's basically a 3-1 advantage for Democrats.
Gee, I wonder why that might be?
At one level, the Republicans already know the answer. As party leaders admitted in their so-called "autopsy" of their 2012 loss to Barack Obama:
"If Hispanic Americans perceive that a GOP nominee or candidate does not want them in the United States (i.e. self-deportation), they will not pay attention to our next sentence. It does not matter what we say about education, jobs or the economy; if Hispanics think we do not want them here, they will close their ears to our policies."
Nice words, falling on deaf ears. All in all, the Republican Party has aggravated rather than eased its problems among Hispanic Americans in the two years since that report was issued. And with every passing year, the long-term party identification of that demographic group will become more difficult to change.
Some other nuggets from the Marist poll:
- Overall, 62 percent of American registered voters believe that Congress should create a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, compared to 35 percent who oppose the notion. Among Latinos, support jumps to 81 percent. Even 42 percent of Republicans support a pathway to citizenship.
- Overall, 57 percent of registered voters, and 78 percent of Latinos, support President Obama's executive orders protecting some illegal immigrants from deportation. Of the 41 percent who oppose Obama's decision, a strong majority -- 56 percent -- say they do so mainly because he should have gotten congressional approval. Only 29 percent of the disapproving 41 percent say they just don't like the policy itself.
- Overall, 68 percent of American registered voters support the decision to reopen diplomatic relations with Cuba; just 26 percent disagree. Among Latino voters, the margins are similar.
