Republicans Made Inroads with Hispanic Voters in 2010

[Geee]

Weekly Standard:

There is an under-noticed bright spot for the Republican Party after the recent midterm election: Gains with Hispanic voters and Hispanic politicians.

The numbers are deceptive at first glance. Overall, exit polls show that Hispanic voters nationwide broke a little less than 2-to-1 for Democratic candidates. But the details tell an interesting story. In fact, the numbers point to some opportunities for Republicans.

As several commentators have observed, the 2010 elections saw conservative Hispanics break through to win major offices in New Mexico, Florida and Nevada. Until this year, a conservative Hispanic in public office was likely to be a Cuban-American. In the Congress now stumbling toward its lame-duck finale, four Hispanic Republicans served time – three House members and their fellow Floridian, Sen. Mel Martinez, who retired in August of 2009. All are of Cuban descent.

Onn November 3, the number of Hispanic Republican major officeholders had risen by 150 percent. Of much greater significance, three of those Hispanics were elected to statewide offices, two of them as first-time Hispanic governors of recently blue states. Most important, their ranks include both Mexican-American and Puerto Rican conservatives.