By Steve Taylor
Rio Grande Guardian
EDINBURG,TX — If the Republican Party does not significantly increase its share of the Hispanic vote in Texas in the coming years it is “toast” as a governing party.
That is the view of Steve Munisteri, chairman of the GOP in Texas, as well as an unnamed member of the party’s congressional delegation. Munisteri explained:
“I made about a 30 minute presentation to the congressional delegation as to the importance of outreach to the Hispanic community. One of the congressmen said, ‘Let me put it this way, what you are saying is if the Republican Party does not successfully outreach to the Hispanic community it’s toast.’ I said that is a good way to put it. It is extremely important.”
Munisteri has made outreach to the Hispanic community one of his top agenda items. He gave his views on the issue to reporters at a news conference at UT-Pan American last month.
“There will not be a future Republican Party of Texas as a majority party unless the Republican Party of Texas is successful in getting a very high percentage of the Hispanic vote,” Munisteri said.
“It is estimated that by 2040, which is 28 years from now, the Hispanic population will almost be seven out of every ten and the Anglo population will be less than one out of every five. As early as 2014, we might see citizens of Hispanic descent in Texas pass the Anglos.”
Most Hispanics in Texas have traditionally voted Democrat. So the political implications of the demographic changes sweeping the Lone Star State are pretty clear.
“It doesn’t take a mathematic genius or even an Aggie to figure out that we cannot maintain a majority unless we get a significant percentage of the Hispanic vote,” Munisteri said.
The “good news’ for the Republican Party of Texas is that it has a history of being successful at increasing the Hispanic vote when attention is paid to the Hispanic community, Munisteri claimed. He gave some examples of this…
Finish reading Republican Party of Texas Chairman Steve Munisteri: “If GOP does not win over Hispanics ‘we’re toast'”
