Thread: CA-GOP decline linked to illegal immigration rise

GOP decline linked to illegal immigration rise

BY CINDY CARCAMO
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
February 22, 2010

As illegal immigrants surged into Orange County in the last two decades, the number of registered Republicans in one of the state's most conservative regions dropped by nearly 18 percent – to just over 50 percent, according to a report by the Center for Immigration Studies.

The correlation between increased illegal immigration and what the study called the Republican "demise" mirrors a nationwide trend in counties, according to the report released Friday by an anti-illegal immigration group, which seeks to curb overall illegal immigration.

In Orange County, the percent of registered Republicans dropped from 67.9 percent to 50.2 percent from 1983 to 2008.

At the same time, the percentage of the foreign-born population increased by about 20 percent in the county, according to James Gimpel, who wrote "Immigration, Political Realignment, and the Demise of Republican Political Prospects."

By comparison, Los Angeles County saw a larger drop in registered Republicans than Orange County. As the foreign-born population in Los Angeles County ballooned by nearly 19 percent, registered Republicans dropped by 21.4 percent.

Gimpel, a government professor at the University of Maryland, said the term "immigrant" is used in the study to describe both legal immigrants and those who are in the country illegally.

"There is an irony in that even though the Republican electorate has been undermined over time by this immigration flow, they do have a business constituency which seems committed to keeping it wide open," Gimpel said.

"There are a lot of influential donors who are in the business community who have influence over the GOP's policy making in this area and they benefit from this flow of immigrants."

Gimpel based his report on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and American Community Survey. The survey asks respondents whether they are foreign-born. However, neither survey asks respondents whether they are in the country legally.

A good portion of the foreign-born are from Mexico or other parts of Latin America, Gimpel added.

Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, says he's not worried about the decline in registration, saying that legal immigrants will eventually find their way into the GOP.

"I see a lot of new citizens in the Republican ranks," Rohrabacher said.

"I think that people who come here legally are all potential Republicans because they have a love in their heart for America that has brought them to our country and eventually those people will opt for limited government and American freedom."

Gimpel agreed with Rohrabacher that the decline is temporary.

However, he said immigrants tend to associate themselves more with the Democratic Party because of where they end up -- in larger, more urban areas that are already Democratic strongholds.

State Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, has a different take.

Correa, whose district is made up by a good portion of foreign-born people, says the tide turned for Republicans with Governor Pete Wilson's election and his push for Proposition 187, a ballot initiative that would have denied public services, such as education, to people in the country illegally.

"The election of 1994 really shifted the way Latinos looked at politics and looked at voting. That was a big wedge," Correa said. "I believe that awakened a lot of the community. The community really woke up."

For a long time, Democrats had pushed for Latino votes and participation in the electorate.

"None were as successful as Gov. Wilson and his Proposition 187,'' Correa said. "That really energized them to vote and associate themselves with the Democratic Party."

Contact the writer: 714-796-7924 or ccarcamo@ocregister.com

http://www.ocregister.com/news/percent- ... ation.html

That is the reason the Dem's have put into work the plan to flood the country with illegal aliens.

Illegal aliens are uneducated for the most part and love the free goodies they get from Welfare and food stamps and free health care at the local emegerency rooms.

In their mind these FREE goodies is why America is great!

They will do what ever it takes to keep their FREE goodies.

So they will always vote for Dem's with their hands out until the country is basically Mexico north.

Mexico knows this and so that is why the push them over the border, giving them maps and stuff to leave and create "roots" so that slowing the states of CA, AZ, New Mexico and TX become Mexico.

Who needs to win a war? Just take over the states and then declare them Mexico.

If you challenge their plan then they call you a racists and call in La Raza and Maldef and all the other "hispanic" groups to try to prressure you into silence.

If the Republican Party does not stand up for America Citizens soon there will be no America left.

Related:
Immigration, Political Realignment, and the Demise of Republican Political Prospects
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-188905.html

Originally Posted by cjbl2929

That is the reason the Dem's have put into work the plan to flood the country with illegal aliens.

Illegal aliens are uneducated for the most part and love the free goodies they get from Welfare and food stamps and free health care at the local emegerency rooms.

In their mind these FREE goodies is why America is great!

They will do what ever it takes to keep their FREE goodies.

So they will always vote for Dem's with their hands out until the country is basically Mexico north.

Mexico knows this and so that is why the push them over the border, giving them maps and stuff to leave and create "roots" so that slowing the states of CA, AZ, New Mexico and TX become Mexico.

Who needs to win a war? Just take over the states and then declare them Mexico.

If you challenge their plan then they call you a racists and call in La Raza and Maldef and all the other "hispanic" groups to try to prressure you into silence.

If the Republican Party does not stand up for America Citizens soon there will be no America left.

Yes, "take us over without firing a single shot" was a quote from some mexican official who's name is unimportant to me now.

Just wait until the dependent class loses thier welfare bennies in a few years! All hell's gonna break loose. The US is broke, states are broke, it's just a matter of time...