Immigration and Republican Priorities

In the latest round of Republican debating, candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Perry got into such a heated row on who was tougher on immigration that they very well may be losing Hispanic voters.

Many like to associate minorities with the Democratic Party, yet while the case may be true for African American, Hispanics are in large part a swing group. Nearly 35-40% of Hispanics voted for John McCain back in 2008 election and George Bush in the 2004 election (Pew Research).

Yet if Republicans continue to push stricter immigration laws and remain tough against amnesty they may very well begin to alienate the Hispanic voters. It’s as if the Republican nominees are attempting to “out conservative” each other in the hopes of catching those still on the Tea Party train. They are not attempting to garner popularity from the majority of the nation but instead show who can be the new conservative face of the Republican Party as it sways more and more to the ultra right.

While Democrats have long vouched for the rights and social programs for minorities like Hispanics they have never been able to deliver. Yet while this may sway Hispanics towards a more conservative prospect, the grass isn’t any greener as both Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann have relentlessly supported stronger and longer fences on the Mexican-American border.

Not only does the Republican candidates fixation on immigration, distance them from the Hispanic vote but also the real issues at hand. We need to focus on pressing issues including the economy and education, and that is the only way to move forward.