Cisneros Says GOP’s Immigration Stance Is Risky

Former San Antonio Mayor and HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros is speaking out about the Republican’s stance on immigration, which he says is risky for the party, but good for Democrats:

They risk driving Hispanic voters into Democrats’ arms for years to come, he said.

Mr. Cisneros, in an interview before he spoke to the Hispanic Scholarship Consortium in Austin, said that though the Republicans use immigration to fire up their base, they may wind up deeply angering Hispanics.

“Those who have simply focused on security at the border and not on the other humane aspects” of the immigration issue offend Hispanics, he said.

Mr. Cisneros predicted Hispanic voters would respond by voting more heavily for Democrats, as has happened in California since the mid-1990s. There, he said, many Hispanic voters have memories of Republican Gov. Pete Wilson’s scary TV ads about immigration, which he used to successfully revive his re-election bid in 1994.

Cisneros is right on target. I’m sure that Hispanic voters who flocked to Governor Bush back during his runs for governor and later President, in particular, are about ready to make a 180. The party they supported has essentially thrown them under the bus in a very ugly fashion.

What Cisneros says holds true not only on the national level. A number of state and local candidates will likely be hurt by their immigration stands as well. U.S. Senator John Cornyn will be lucky to poll any Latino voters. And, State Representatives like Leo Berman (R-Tyler), who spewed vile about immigration throughout the 80th Legislative Session have left themselves very vulnerable to attack from moderates in their party and from Democrats.

Technorati Tags Henry Cisneros, John Cornyn, Leo Berman

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