If Romney was hurt by his immigration views, why did McCain do equally as bad?

[Redban]

Romney lost the Hispanic vote 70%- 27%.

In the aftermath of that beatdown, people say Republicans need a candidate who supports amnesty.

But would that work?

McCain supported amnesty - He was a major sponsor of the 2007 bill. Yet, McCain lost the Hispanic vote 67% - 33%.

Ronald Reagan signed amnesty in 1986. How did that help his party? His Vice President George H.W. Bush got only 30% of the Hispanic vote in 1988, just 2 years later.

[NVGonzalez]

It's the party brand. Not the candidate.

[All Along The Watchtower]

It's the party brand. Not the candidate.

This.

[freefair]

Erm.. 2004- Bush 44%, Kerry 55%.

[The Mikado]

Except for the part where McCain renounced his own reform bill in the primary

[Landslide Lyndon]

Except for the part where McCain renounced his own reform bill in the primary

Yeah, after his campaign collapsed during the summer of 2007 he changed positions and started parroting the nativists's talking points.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Yep. McCain had to run hard to the right in 2007 during the primaries. That's why he lost them so badly. And Sarah Palin...

[hopper]

I don't think McCain ever said anything about self-deportation like Romney did.

[Redban]

Erm.. 2004- Bush 44%, Kerry 55%.

That was an outlier. Look at how every other Republican candidate fared:

2012: Romney 27%
2008: McCain 33%
2000: Bush 35%
1996: Dole 21%
1992: Bush 25%
1988: Bush 30%
1984: Reagan 37%
1980: Reagan 35%
1976: Ford 18%

[Redban]

I don't think McCain ever said anything about self-deportation like Romney did.

Which is my point.

McCain was a pro-illegal alien candidate - he championed amnesty in 2007, going against his own party.

Yet Hispanics did not get behind him.

If Republicans supporting amnesty will not win them Hispanic votes, then what will?

[hopper]

Erm.. 2004- Bush 44%, Kerry 55%.

That was an outlier. Look at how every other Republican candidate fared:

2012: Romney 27%
2008: McCain 33%
2000: Bush 35%
1996: Dole 21%
1992: Bush 25%
1988: Bush 30%
1984: Reagan 37%
1980: Reagan 35%
1976: Ford 18%

Reagan did pretty good with the Hispanic Vote.

[Redban]

I wouldn't call 35% and 37% pretty good.

He was winning 49 states and almost 60% of the popular vote. He was much less popular with Hispanics than he was with the general population.

Another way to look at it: He won 35% and 37%, but that means he lost 65% and 63%. That's a landslide defeat among Hispanic voters.

[hopper]

I wouldn't call 35% and 37% pretty good.

He was winning 49 states and almost 60% of the popular vote. He was much less popular with Hispanics than he was with the general population.

Another way to look at it: He won 35% and 37%, but that means he lost 65% and 63%. That's a landslide defeat among Hispanic voters.

Well 35 and 37% for Reagan of the Hispanic Vote was pretty good then for the GOP.

[Blue3]

I don't think McCain ever said anything about self-deportation like Romney did.

Which is my point.

McCain was a pro-illegal alien candidate - he championed amnesty in 2007, going against his own party.

Yet Hispanics did not get behind him.

If Republicans supporting amnesty will not win them Hispanic votes, then what will?

Because McCain completely, and very publically, back-tracked. He voted against his own bill in 2006, because he was getting ready to run for President and didn't want to upset the nativists. Hispanics aren't stupid, they pay attention, they know that McCain backtracked and why.

[General White]

McCain is ULTRA Pro-Illegal and Pro-Amnesty and so is Bush thats how they did great with Illegals and Latinos. Romney did the right thing and opposed Amnesty for Illegals so of course the Media painted his positions as racist.

[Niemeyerite]

McCain is ULTRA Pro-Illegal and Pro-Amnesty and so is Bush thats how they did great with Illegals and Latinos. Romney did the right thing and opposed Amnesty for Illegals so of course the Media painted his positions as racist.

Why not? His positions ARE racist.

[Redban]

McCain is ULTRA Pro-Illegal and Pro-Amnesty and so is Bush thats how they did great with Illegals and Latinos. Romney did the right thing and opposed Amnesty for Illegals so of course the Media painted his positions as racist.

Bush did great; McCain did not.

McCain in 2008 got a weak 33% of the Latino vote.

[Redban]

McCain is ULTRA Pro-Illegal and Pro-Amnesty and so is Bush thats how they did great with Illegals and Latinos. Romney did the right thing and opposed Amnesty for Illegals so of course the Media painted his positions as racist.

Why not? His positions ARE racist.

He clearly stated that he supported legal immigration. He was going to give the Dreamers a pathway to legal residency (and eventually citizenship). He was going to "staple a green-card" to the diplomas of any legal immigration who came here on a temporary Visa.

All Romney wanted was to uphold the rule of law. That means no special treatment for the people who didn't follow rules, who intentionally disrespected the country by spitting on our laws.

There was nothing racist about his positions.

[hopper]

McCain is ULTRA Pro-Illegal and Pro-Amnesty and so is Bush thats how they did great with Illegals and Latinos. Romney did the right thing and opposed Amnesty for Illegals so of course the Media painted his positions as racist.

Why not? His positions ARE racist.

He clearly stated that he supported legal immigration. He was going to give the Dreamers a pathway to legal residency (and eventually citizenship). He was going to "staple a green-card" to the diplomas of any legal immigration who came here on a temporary Visa.

All Romney wanted was to uphold the rule of law. That means no special treatment for the people who didn't follow rules, who intentionally disrespected the country by spitting on our laws.

There was nothing racist about his positions.

Romney said he was for self-deportation in the primary than said he was for immigration reform once the general election approached.

[Badger]

To the OP: Learn the term "trend". A several point trend among a quickly growing population group was amplified in a closer rate.

Add in McCain repudiating 'amnesty', and you have your answer.

[Zioneer]

Probably because the economy imploded and McCain wasn't Latino-friendly Bush.

[Eraserhead]

The idea that Bush got 44% of the hispanic vote in 2004 has been debunked by several sources. That number simply didn't match the actual results from heavily hispanic counties/cities/precincts. The real number was probably more like 38% or so.

Anyway, I disagree with the premise of the thread. McCain didn't do equally as bad as Romney... losing 67%-31% is actually significantly better than losing by 71%-27%. 8% is a lot.

[Smash255]

I don't think McCain ever said anything about self-deportation like Romney did.

Which is my point.

McCain was a pro-illegal alien candidate - he championed amnesty in 2007, going against his own party.

Yet Hispanics did not get behind him.

If Republicans supporting amnesty will not win them Hispanic votes, then what will?

McCain changed his views when he had to run to the right in the Primary.  Voted against his own bill.  The McCain who ran for President in 08 wasn't the same guy who championed that bill.  Not to mention Palin didn't help with the Hispanic vote.   Not to mention Romney lost by 44%,  McCain by 36%.   A 2000 version of John McCain would have done better than the 36% point loss, of course a 2000 version of McCain can't win a GOP Primary anymore, which is why he ran so hard to the right on immigration and a host of other issues in 2008.

[Lief 🗽]

ITT: 8% = 0%.

[Mister Mets]

First, McCain did slightly better than Romney among Hispanic voters.

Second, McCain did worse overall in a much more anti-Republican year. So you would expect Romney to outperform by a little bit among all groups.