Quiere Kerry
Despite strong efforts by the GOP stretching back half a decade, a new poll suggests that Hispanic support of the Bush Administration is failing. While both parties have very actively pursued the Hispanic vote, Republicans have made the outreach effort a true investment in the future of the party.
Republicans can't be happy about these numbers, but even conservative Hispanics warned them; National Review contributor Raul Damas wrote two years ago that the GOP's strategy wasn't up to snuff. Four years ago, the GOP's voter registration drives were largely successful and Bush received 35% of the Hispanic vote in 2000 - what went wrong?
The Bush Administration has worked hard to push Hispanic-focused issues - going as far as to propose an immigration reform plan that even his own party conservatives couldn't swallow. The Post survey, however, says that Hispanics "give Bush lower approval ratings than the overall population does," and support Kerry 2 to 1 over the President.
According to the poll, they disagree with him on the war and the economy, and are shaky on education. They give Bush slightly more support for his immigration stances, but aren't completely supportive by any means.
What all this says - and the Post agrees - is that Hispanics aren't a solid voting bloc - okay, neither is any other ethnic group. What it also says, however, is that if Bush's support is slipping from his 2000 figures, perhaps the GOP hasn't been reaching out as successfully as they thought.
Republicans can't be happy about these numbers, but even conservative Hispanics warned them; National Review contributor Raul Damas wrote two years ago that the GOP's strategy wasn't up to snuff. Four years ago, the GOP's voter registration drives were largely successful and Bush received 35% of the Hispanic vote in 2000 - what went wrong?
The Bush Administration has worked hard to push Hispanic-focused issues - going as far as to propose an immigration reform plan that even his own party conservatives couldn't swallow. The Post survey, however, says that Hispanics "give Bush lower approval ratings than the overall population does," and support Kerry 2 to 1 over the President.
According to the poll, they disagree with him on the war and the economy, and are shaky on education. They give Bush slightly more support for his immigration stances, but aren't completely supportive by any means.
What all this says - and the Post agrees - is that Hispanics aren't a solid voting bloc - okay, neither is any other ethnic group. What it also says, however, is that if Bush's support is slipping from his 2000 figures, perhaps the GOP hasn't been reaching out as successfully as they thought.
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