Hispanic Voting in Texas and the Southwest

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Democrats argue that Hispanics come from diverse backgrounds and do not constitute a voting bloc under federal law. They also claim Hispanic voters have not been disenfranchised because the white majority has elected Hispanic candidates to statewide office.



Can we use that argument in Texas?

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Democrats argue that Hispanics come from diverse backgrounds and do not constitute a voting bloc under federal law. They also claim Hispanic voters have not been disenfranchised because the white majority has elected Hispanic candidates to statewide office.



Can we use that argument in Texas?

Do Hispanic voters in Texas come from diverse backgrounds?

Have they been elected to statewide office when they've had to get through a primary first?

Certainly Texas hispanics come from a wide variety of locations, incomes, cultures, and other backgrounds.

Anthony Garza was elected as Railroad Commissioner in both a primary and general election in 1998, and he is not the only Hispanic to have served on the commission.

http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=222663

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One guy elected 12 years ago for a down ballot position. Got it. What percentage of Texas is Hispanic, again?

He's not the only one, no. His successor was also Hispanic, Victor Carjullo, and won both a primary and a general in 2004. Garza was merely the first.

You specifically asked for a Hispanic that had to be elected via a primary first, which excluded many Hispanics. The Democrats, to my knowledge, have not elected any Hispanics to statewide office in Texas even when they could win in Texas. In fact, I don't know of many Hispanics that have had the success of the Texas Republican Party...certainly not, say, the California Democrats.

Texas is about 38% Hispanic of course.

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Dan morales was a dem.

Ah, interesting. And quite coincidental as Brian Sandoval was also an elected Hispanic attorney general.

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One guy elected 12 years ago for a down ballot position. Got it. What percentage of Texas is Hispanic, again?

Alberto Gonzales and Eva Guzman and Victor Carillo have won contested Republican primaries for statewide office and gone on to win in November.

I had a series of snarky responses to this, but it's easier just to lay it out.

Gonzales outraised his opponent by 1,047 to 1 and was appointed by Bush to the seat before he ran for re-election. Despite the fact the seat was only nominally contested and Bush was more popular than God, he didn't break 60%.

Eva Guzman defeated another Hispanic candidate in the primary for the 9th slot out of 9 for the supreme court. Her seat was not contested by someone with an Anglo surname and the GOP had the ability to shape that.

Carillo blames his eventual loss to a guy he outraised 20-1 on his Hispanic surname. Like Gonzales, he only became the incumbent in his first election because a popular governor appointed him to the seat and threw his weight behind the candidacy.

Sounds like they should do more of this in Nevada before claiming that Hispanics can win statewide with ease.



Democrats argue that Hispanics come from diverse backgrounds and do not constitute a voting bloc under federal law. They also claim Hispanic voters have not been disenfranchised because the white majority has elected Hispanic candidates to statewide office.