Thread: GOP Event Dodges Immigration Fight

POLITICO

GOP event dodges immigration fight


Jeb Bush spoke Friday at a conference of Hispanic Republicans but did not mention immigration in his opening remarks. | AP Photo

By CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN
1/14/11 7:52 PM EST
16 Comments

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The goal of a conference of Hispanic Republicans here was to show that the party wants to broaden its reach into the fastest-growing population of voters.

It did just as much to underscore the GOP’s challenge.

The Republicans who gathered at the posh Biltmore Hotel for the newly formed Hispanic Leadership Network generally support a broad reform of the immigration system, one that includes some means for legalizing the nation’s 11 million illegal immigrants. The organizers included former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez – two leading Republican voices for a comprehensive immigration overhaul.

But they are not part of the dominant wing in the Republican Party, which has embraced an enforcement-first, no-legalization-under-any-circumstances position in recent years – a shift that the conference organizers say has hampered the party’s outreach to Hispanics.

Yet there was little direct challenge to the party’s rightward drift on immigration.

None of the organizers – Bush, Gutierrez and former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) – made a direct mention of immigration in their opening remarks. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty relegated the issue to the end of a more than 20-minute speech.

A bold-faced lineup of Republican officials – former President George W. Bush, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Sen. John McCain, Sen. Jon Kyl, Newt Gingrich – addressed the conference through video statements. But none discussed immigration. Instead, they focused on their support of limited government, small business, and family values.

The conference wasn’t silent on the question of immigration, and included a panel focused on party’s approach to immigration reform and one on messaging to the Hispanic community, which included talk of how the party would address the topic.

But when immigration was addressed directly, the speakers were divided on whether the party’s struggle to draw more Hispanic voters was one of tone or substance.

“We do have a challenge on the Hispanic vote,â€

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Where do I sign up for the coalition of White Republicans?

Republicans are bums! Divide and conquer elsewhere! Scumbag bums! Not worth Didley's squat!

Americans need to start other parties, parties just for Americans!

What a bunch of worms! Republicans are worms!!!!!!!!!! Three decades of my support and this is what my party turns into? Scum sucking bottom feeders!

I will vote for Mickey Mouse before I vote for these idiots!

Someone point out the difference between a commie democrat and a republican............

The CONS are as bad as the DEMS. To the foolish RepubliCONS at this conference: you traitors have allowed this invasion, and now you want to pander to the invaders instead of the American people. Go ahead, you will lose most of your conservative constituents. How the he!! do you think you will win elections then? We don't need you. We will elect our own Tea Party candidates. You will be finished. Seriously, you are imbeciles.

I'm getting ready to bail and look for a third party if these crack heads dont get their collective heads out of thier 4th point of contact "ASS"

We will make you just as IRRELLIVANT as The DEMOCRAT's have become

GLOBALIST / North American Union is what these people are about

The Bushes just aren't what many of US thought they were. They are globalists and we've had enough of them and all their patsies and policies.