Bush: GOP needs to broaden the map (with Hispanics)

[Likely Voter]

Obviously California is out of reach, but even improving among Hispanics a couple points would shore up Georgia and Arizona while helping out in Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina, Florida, etc. So, in terms of strategy, Jeb is 100% right, the GOP needs more hispanic voters.

Agree that appealing more to Latinos is important for the GOP and helps them with many of the states in the 2012 battlegrounds that Romney targeted. I just don't see how it expands beyond that list (besides the aforementioned possible return to New Mexico). To really 'expand the map' the GOP needs to look to all elements of the so-called 'Rising American Electorate' (unmarried women, African Americans, Latinos, other people of color and millennials). If they can do that, then maybe some more states come into play like Minnesota, Michigan, Oregon. And of course Wisconsin and Pennsylvania (which were on the 2012 list) become more realistic targets.

[pbrower2a]

This is not broadening the map, this is just going back to the standard 2004 winning map.

Republicans then need to figure why they have lost Virginia twice. They have not won without Virginia in a Presidential election since 1924. They had lost Virginia only once between 1952 and 2004 (the LBJ blowout).

[RINO Tom]

It's really as simple as this: right now, the GOP is winning the people who agree with them on both social and fiscal issues.  To win, they either need to use mainly cultural conservatism (while moderating on economic issues) to reach new voters - such as Hispanics, Blacks, some Dixiecrat holdouts, etc. - or use mainly fiscal conservatism (while moderating on social issues) to reach new voters - such as culturally liberal suburbanites in the North, Asians and young professionals.  Naturally, I'd prefer the latter, but I also believe that this path will yield more electoral advantage.  The college educated, the wealthy and those who live in suburbs vote at the highest rates.  Get their votes.  The GOP has already - in the past - proven it can do it.  It's never proven it can do the second.

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

Hispanics aren't interested in conservatism. How much money needs to be pissed away in California and New Mexico before the GOP gets that through its thick skull?

What's your advice for the Republican Party, then?  I'm sick of seeing posts on here more or less ridiculing the GOP for any and all attempts to attract new voters...

1. Reach out to the demographics that they can realistically win. Republicans need to decisively take back the suburbs. The GOP should be doing everything possible to make the Democrats bleed white voters.
2. Make economic nationalism an essential plank of the Republican platform once again. Show workers in the rust belt that you give a damn.
3. Republicans are elected to end wars. Make non-interventionism integral to the platform.
4. Get serious about law and order. Show your constituency that a Republican administration will not make concessions to rioters, looters and malcontents in general.
5. Restore freedom of association and abolish disparate impact.

 

[Publius]

He's right, of course.  And while many Republicans think that the way to woo Latinos--and, in fact, every single American--is by "getting out the Republican message," how's that working? If they're thinking pragmatically, they'll need to start to piece together a coalition. It does seem like the rapidly growing Latino minority is the way to go. Bush-Martinez would be a great start; both are to the left of the hard party line on immigration (Bush more so), a party line that continues to alienate Latinos. These two candidates could soften that brand, and their bilingualism (the first bilingual ticket since Jefferson dined alone) could help with outreach. Let's look at what that ticket might be able to pull off:

--Likely swing states brought over:
  -Florida and its 29 EVs.
  -New Mexico and its 5 EVs
--Much better chances at than in 2012:
  -Colorado's 9
  -Nevada's 6
--Just as important, this ticket, if it rallies a more appealing immigration platform, staves off Texas's monster 35 EVs from turning purple in 2020 or 2024

The return to Big Tent can't happen by 2016, but this could be a step in the right direction. By no means are the 49 EVs from the four states locked up, but the map has at least been successfully expanded. And if they WERE able to pull off the 49 EV sweep and add them to Romney's 206, they're one state from victory. (Man, writing that I was reminded just how much of an uphill climb the GOP has!)

[bobloblaw]

I am going to be so happy when the Bush fool doesnt do better than Romney's 27% with hispanics. If he does do better, it will be at the cost of fewer white votes.

[bobloblaw]

Bush is correct.

I have always maintained that the Republican Party must return to its' roots and once again become a big tent party.

It is already a big tent party. Who is more of a big big tent candidate than McCain.

[bobloblaw]

This is not broadening the map, this is just going back to the standard 2004 winning map.

Republicans then need to figure why they have lost Virginia twice. They have not won without Virginia in a Presidential election since 1924. They had lost Virginia only once between 1952 and 2004 (the LBJ blowout).

That is easy:

1. Liberals moving in from MA, NJ and NY
2. More govt employees
3. Immigrants in NOVA

[bobloblaw]

boblolaw, do you realize that winning whites by 20 points isn't enough to win you an election these days?

And by pandering to hispanics, you wont win the white by 20 points. For very hispanic vote Bush gets, he loses more than 1 white vote

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

It's really as simple as this: right now, the GOP is winning the people who agree with them on both social and fiscal issues.  To win, they either need to use mainly cultural conservatism (while moderating on economic issues) to reach new voters - such as Hispanics, Blacks, some Dixiecrat holdouts, etc. - or use mainly fiscal conservatism (while moderating on social issues) to reach new voters - such as culturally liberal suburbanites in the North, Asians and young professionals.  Naturally, I'd prefer the latter, but I also believe that this path will yield more electoral advantage.  The college educated, the wealthy and those who live in suburbs vote at the highest rates.  Get their votes.  The GOP has already - in the past - proven it can do it.  It's never proven it can do the second.

It isn't either/or when it comes to fiscal and social issues. To reach out to Hispanics, Republicans need to show they are tolerant and supportive of people of different cultural backgrounds, while still holding onto a pro-life position.  They also need to make some policies that they can argue are good for the poor and marginal and for the aspirational middle class, including but not at all limited to immigration issues.

[bobloblaw]

boblolaw, do you realize that winning whites by 20 points isn't enough to win you an election these days?

And by pandering to hispanics, you wont win the white by 20 points. For very hispanic vote Bush gets, he loses more than 1 white vote

Then what's the solution to the problem?

The GOP needs to become more economically populist and ditch the Chamber of Commerce. But based on TPA votes, they wont do that. You cant win MI, PA and WI by being the free trade party.

[eric82oslo]

boblolaw, do you realize that winning whites by 20 points isn't enough to win you an election these days?

And by pandering to hispanics, you wont win the white by 20 points. For very hispanic vote Bush gets, he loses more than 1 white vote

Then what's the solution to the problem?

The GOP needs to become more economically populist and ditch the Chamber of Commerce. But based on TPA votes, they wont do that. You cant win MI, PA and WI by being the free trade party.

On the other hand, the US currently has one of the lowest unemployment rates (5.3%) in the entire world, so free trade can't be all that bad either, at least not for the US. Only a handful of European countries (Norway, Germany & Austria being the only ones I can think of at the moment, maybe Luxembourg, Monaco, Switzerland & Denmark as well?) have such a low unemployment rate. Add Japan, perhaps a few other Asian success stories and perhaps Australia. And that's it. (Maybe Canada as well?) US is an incredible success story, at least if you consider full employment the number one goal in an economy.

[eric82oslo]

I am going to be so happy when the Bush fool doesnt do better than Romney's 27% with hispanics. If he does do better, it will be at the cost of fewer white votes.

Romney wanted to selfdeport 11 million Hispanics, while Jeb speaks Spanish almost as fluently as me, and I've lived in Latin America (Chile) and have studied Spanish and Latin American studies at high School and university for many years. Go figure. You must be out of your mind if you really believe there's no major substancy differences between Mitt and Jeb,

[RR1997]

Why would Hispanics vote for a party that has members who even ADMIT to racism against them (examples: Donald Trump and Ann Coulter)? A lot of these GOPers aren't even trying to hide their racism anymore. It's sad.

[Adam Griffin]

Hispanics aren't interested in conservatism. How much money needs to be pissed away in California and New Mexico before the GOP gets that through its thick skull?

1. Reach out to the demographics that they can realistically win. Republicans need to decisively take back the suburbs. The GOP should be doing everything possible to make the Democrats bleed white voters.
2. Make economic nationalism an essential plank of the Republican platform once again. Show workers in the rust belt that you give a damn.
3. Republicans are elected to end wars. Make non-interventionism integral to the platform.
4. Get serious about law and order. Show your constituency that a Republican administration will not make concessions to rioters, looters and malcontents in general.
5. Restore freedom of association and abolish disparate impact.

boblolaw, do you realize that winning whites by 20 points isn't enough to win you an election these days?

And by pandering to hispanics, you wont win the white by 20 points. For very hispanic vote Bush gets, he loses more than 1 white vote

Wrong, because the only white people left that you all can pick up are the ones who aren't bat-sh**t crazy racists, jingoists and nationalists like the ones I'm quoting here.