Live Blogging at Hispanic Leadership Network

Attempting to live blog the Hispanic Leadership Network Conference in New Mexico via my iPhone. (Please excuse any typos.) Also, I will be tweeting at @BettinaInclan. Follow the conversation at #HLNNM and via the Hispanic Leadership Network’s official twitter account @HispanicLN

(9:15 am)
Rosario Marin, former U.S. Treasurer, kick off conference and welcomes large crowd to New Mexico. Introduces HLN’s Executive Director, Jenny Korn.

(9:30 am) Senator Norm Coleman of the American Action Network takes the stage and explains the purpose of HLN and hope for the organization:

“Hispanics are not just part of the American dream they are the American Dream.”

Coleman discussed shared principles between conservatives and Hispanics including commitment to faith, family and country. He also highlights economic principles, “We support low taxes because we believe you should decide how to spend your money not the government.”

“We must be more than just words,” says Senator Coleman, as he talks about the need to have a real longterm strategy to connect with Latinos. He continues to say we need to have more than just conferences, speeches and occasional newsletters. He promised a new strategy from the Hispanic Leadership Network to truly engage Hispanics nationwide.

(9:40ish am)
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush address crowd via video.

(9:44 am)
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal takes the stage. Says he is happy to be back in New Mexico as he was last here to help Susana Martinez become Governor. VIDEO: http://livestre.am/136cl

Jindal makes a great speech of the lessons he has learned from his parents. Big laughs from the crowd as the Governor tells stories of his immigrant parents adapting to living in America after immigrating to Louisiana from India. His parents told him every day “You are so lucky to be an American.”

His dad was laser focused on making sure Bobby Jindal got a good education. Jindal’s dad would say “I might not leave you an inheritance, or a great name, but I’ll make sure you have a great education.” This inspired Jindal to improve education in Louisiana and focus on how students are doing not how much money is spent per pupil. He highlights the possibilities of charter schools and the importance of school choice. Full video: http://livestre.am/136cl

Governor Bobby Jindal, Jenny Korn and Senator Norm Coleman

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SURVEY: Young Latinos Favor Limited Government, Reduced Spending

The Washington Examiner reports on a new survey stating young Latinos, ages 18 – 29, favor a more fiscally conservative message, which includes reduced government spending and decreased regulation of business.

Thanks to Google + and friend Samuel Rosado I saw this new data on young Latinos political leanings and it started an interesting conversation on the lack of GOP efforts, as well as failures by the Democrats. The reality is the GOP should be inspired by this information and finally implement a real program to engage Hispanics. A program that includes connecting with Latinos on a cultural level, engaging directly with the community, promoting GOP talent and recruit strong Hispanic candidates /surrogates.

Read more from the Washington Examiner: “New survey finds young Hispanics open to conservative values”

“The survey, which has a four percent margin of error (plus or minus), interviewed 600 people was conducted April 16-22 by Kellyanne Conway’s the polling company inc./Women Trend survey firm for Generation Opportunity, a recently launched conservative activist group that aims to educate and mobilize young Americans about the economic challenges facing their generation.

Among the results were these:

• By nearly a 3:1 ratio, Hispanic young adults prefer “reducing federal spending” (69%) to “raising taxes on individuals” (27%) in order to balance the federal budget.

• 70% of Hispanic young adults would decrease federal spending if given the chance to set America’s fiscal priorities.

• A 57%-majority of Hispanics agree that “if taxes on business profits were reduced, companies would be more likely to hire.”

• In a separate question, a 56%-majority concurred “the economy grows best when individuals are allowed to create businesses without government interference.”

The survey results are more proof that young Latinos, much like the rest of the Hispanic population, are respective to the Republican message, especially when it includes individual rights, free markets and limited government. 

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The Growing Latino Electorate, A Political Opportunity

The Washington Post’s The Fix takes a look at a new Pew Hispanic Center survey and growth and power of Latino voters. The number of Hispanic eligible voters has increased in the last decade from 13.2 million in 2000 to 21.3 million in 2010, and will continue to be an important swing voting block.

The report, and the WP article, highlight that while the Hispanic electorate has grown, they have yet to exercise their full political muscle. This is an opportunity for both political parties, but especially for Republicans. Democrats have worked hard to capture the Hispanic electorate. Yet, while the Democrats try it all to woo Latinos, the group refuses to fully commit to Democrats, or any political party. History, and the 2010 election, has shown that Republicans have an opportunity to gain support with Hispanic voters — when the party intelligently engages and communicates their message.

The question remains, will Republicans again squander the opportunity in 2012 by listening to people who don’t understand the Hispanic community? or will they implement a real Latino outreach and messaging strategy?

Read the piece:

The Fix: Latino turnout squanders chance at being key voting bloc

By Aaron Blake and Rachel Weiner

Latinos are growing faster than any other major population group in the United States, but they still aren’t a major factor in U.S. elections. At least, yet.

A new Pew Hispanic Center survey shows that in 2010, even though 16.3 percent of the country’s population was Latino, just 7 percent of voters were.This is largely, of course, because of the large amounts of Latinos who are under 18 (35 percent, according to the survey) and who aren’t citizens (22 percent). But even among those who are eligible to vote, Latinos lag far behind.

…

A full 44 percent of Latinos voted Republican in the 2004 election. That figure dropped to about 30 percent in both 2006 and 2008 — two big Democratic years — before rising back to 38 percent in 2010…

The Latino population is very young, even among eligible voters. Nearly one-third of Latino eligible voters are under 30 — typically the age group that votes the least.And another 600,000 Latinos turn 18 every year, adding rapidly to the 21.3 million eligible Latino voters…”

Some numbers from the Pew Hispanic Center, (after the jump) 

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Latino Vote 2012: Hispanic Swing Vote Puts Colorado in Play

Interesting piece from the Daily Caller on how Colorado is in play in 2012 for the GOP, thanks to the Latino vote.

Colorado, a state where Democrats have seen numerous victories in recent years, could be ready for a swing in 2012. CivicForumPAC has moved Colorado to the “toss up states” category for the 2012 presidential election, thanks in large part to the fact that Hispanics are beginning to sour on President Obama. The president’s weakening connection with independents doesn’t bode well for him in Colorado either.

According to recent Gallup survey data (published April 7), Hispanics nationwide approved of Obama’s job performance at a 54 percent clip in March, which ties the president’s lowest approval rating among the group since he entered the Oval Office in 2009. While this statistic might have escaped most casual newsreaders, it is important for the GOP in Colorado, because Hispanics comprise more than 20 percent of the Centennial State’s population…

The authors recognizes that the Colorado GOP has a lot of work ahead of them, and need to outperform previous lackluster election cycles. The opportunity for a Republican to win the Latino vote will fall on their message discipline and if they are serious about implementing a real long-term Hispanic engagement strategy. It’s not just “outreach” it is about understanding the community and delivering a culturally relevant communications and political effort.
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/04/12/hispanic-dissatisfaction-with-democrats-puts-colorado-in-play-in-2012/#ixzz1LGYB0hk1

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The Hill: Hispanic vote could hold key to GOP Senate majority

With more data coming out of the Census, showing in hard numbers the growth and potential power of Latino voters, politicos are paying attention.

Today, The Hill wrote a piece on the significance of the Hispanic vote. Among the important points being made by fellow Latino Republicans was to pay attention to tone, focus on the issues and rethink the old ways of “outreach.” For too long the Party has compartmentalized it’s activists and surrogates, and has not rethought methods on how to effectively connect with Hispanic voters.

Read the piece here:

Hispanic vote in critical 2012 states could hold key to GOP Senate majority
Sean J. Miller, The Hill

Hispanic populations have grown dramatically in several states Republicans see as crucial to their party’s efforts to retake the Senate, making some GOP strategists worry that a heated immigration reform debate could nix those efforts.

New census data show minority communities booming in states such as Montana, Nebraska and Missouri, which saw their Hispanic populations leap by 58, 77 and 79 percent, respectively, in the last ten years.

It isn’t lost on GOP strategists that the reelection campaigns for those states’ Democratic senators — Jon Tester, Ben Nelson and Claire McCaskill — are expected to be close. Nor do they need reminding that a Republican majority in the Senate is at least three seats away.

“If this becomes an election all about the economy, there’s a major opening for a Republican candidate to appeal to Latino voters,” said Bob Moore, a Republican pollster. “But if it becomes about immigration, then it could be problematic for the Republican nominee.”

The biggest question now is, what will the GOP do? Will they actually implement a long-term effective strategy or wait until the a few months before Election Day to attempt to connect with Latino voters?

(blogging from my iPhone)

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The Fate of the GOP in Latino Hands

National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar wrote an interesting piece about the GOP’s need to connect with Hispanic voters in “North by Southwest.” The article states that the only way for the GOP to stay viable in future elections is by finding ways to appeal to Hispanic voters, and highlights potential candidates that could help the Republican Party better connect with Latinos.  Read the full piece here.

Kraushaar closed his column with the following statement:

“The lesson: Republicans have shown they can compete for the Hispanic vote with the right message and the right candidates. But they also have shown they could easily squander their opportunities. The question: Which path will they take in 2012?”

I agree with Kraushaar. I’ve worked with people who have embraced efforts to connect with Latino voters and others who have squandered the opportunity. The results of the 2010 elections, combined with the reality of new Census numbers, provides those of us pushing the GOP to create a long-term Hispanic outreach plan a new tool to make our case. If the Party doesn’t adjust its’ strategy, the future of the GOP maybe in question.

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Peña: Hispanic Conservatism And Its Emergence in Texas Politics

This week Latinovations “La Plaza” Blog highlighted a guest post by Texas State Representative Aaron Peña titled “Hispanic Conservatism: Its Emergence in Texas Politics.” The blog invited Rep. Peña to write about why he switched to the Republican Party. Rep. Peña, along with four other Republicans of Hispanic decent, have formed the Hispanic Republican Conference of Texas.

Below is an excerpt of the post, read the full piece at Latinovations here

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Texas Latino Republicans Growing In Political Strength

Texas’ Hispanic Republicans are growing in numbers and strength. Five Republicans of Hispanic decent were elected to the Texas state legislature in 2010 mid-term elections. The freshmen legislators are joining forces to form the Hispanic Republican Conference. (Follow them on twitter @HRCofTexas)

There were no Latino Republicans in the Texas House in the 2009 legislative session.

The Hispanic Republican Conference, led by the newly elected conference Chairman State Rep. Aaron Peña, a legislature who switched to the Republican Party in December, is trying to redefine how the GOP communicates with Latinos. The group is also meeting with Attorney General Abbot, who is helping lead outreach efforts in Texas.

According to reports from AP, the group is “taking a careful walk through the minefield of hot-button immigration and cultural wedge issues that are sure to spark debate, and possibly legal reforms, in the Texas Legislature this year.”

In an interview with The Monitor Representative Peña said the Republican Party needs to listen to the viewpoints of Hispanics if it wants to increase its attractiveness to the state’s fastest-growing population.

“Demographically speaking, if Republicans do not get in tune with the Hispanic population, they will cease to exist as a relevant party in this state,” Peña said. “But the same is true for Democrats, who for decades took us for granted. Now because of the leverage we achieved in the last election cycle, they’re forced to compete (for the Hispanic vote).”

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School Choice Week and the Latina Gap

National School Choice Week was January 23-29, 2011 which aimed to highlight all the options parents and students have to educate children. The organization created a wrap up video highlighting clips and activities from the week:

Education continues to be the number one issue for the Latino community. Discussing school choice and education is an excellent opportunity for candidates and organizations to connect with Latino voters. The reality is that across the nation Hispanic children continue to underperformed academically, with high drop out rates and low levels of college completion. Educating Hispanic parents on school choice options is necessary and vital for the future of his country.

A MALDEF survey – “Listening to Latinas: Barriers to High School Graduation” – highlights the dropout crisis impacting Latina students and the alarming gap between aspiration and expectation contributing to the problem. Clearly there is something wrong with our nation’s education system when children don’t feel empowered enough to follow their aspirations.

Some disturbing facts:

• 80% of Latina students aspire to go to college
• 98% of Latinas aspire to get a high school diploma
• 66% of Latinas expect to get a high school diploma
• 41% of Latinas dropout before they acquire a standard HS diploma

• 50% of Latino drop out before they acquire a standard HS diploma
• 12% of Latinos graduate from college

There is no doubt that many Hispanic parents do not have enough information about the educational options for their children. Maybe if they did we wouldn’t see 50% of Latinos drop out of college.

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Hispanic Leadership Network to Latinos: Your Home Is With the GOP

There is major buzz with the main stream media about the Hispanic Leadership Network Conference. From NPR to Politico to CNN, and everyone in between, is covering the event which is the second major conference held by Republican leaders in hopes to connect with Latino voters in the last two moths.

CNN’s  “Republican conference to Hispanics: your home is with the GOP” highlights the hard work the GOP has ahead of them. In a July 2010 CNN/Opinion Research poll only 32% of Hispanics felt that Republicans agreed with Latinos on the issues they care about. Of the same group, about 57% said Democrats where more inline with Latino issues. In that same poll, 56% of Hispanics said the GOP is doing a bad job of reaching out to African-Americans, Hispanics and other minorities.

The CNN article by Shannon Travis quotes both former and current Florida Governors, Jeb Bush and Rick Scott:

“This is not about politics, this is about the conservative cause,” Bush told a small but supportive crowd at the conference kickoff at the swank Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. “And if you look over the horizon over the next 10 to 20 years…without the active involvement of Hispanics, we will not be the governing philosophy of our country.”

Bush stressed that his party’s philosophy centered on limited government, lower taxes, education reform and maintaining U.S. competitive edge – all items, he said, that makes the GOP a natural home for Hispanics.

CNN asked Florida’s current governor if the conference is a tacit admission that Hispanics are either leaving the GOP or turned off by many of its policies:

“The Hispanic community clearly believes in the Republican principles,” Scott replied. “The principle that family is important. The principle that… we all care about, Hispanics care about religion. They care about building businesses. They focus on the same things I’m focused on: limited government, making sure we don’t kill jobs through regulation, through too large a government.”

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