CPAC 2012: Mitt Romney

Former GOP Presidential Candidate and Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney addressed CPAC 2013 and was greeted with thunderous applause. Like a flashback from the campaign, Romney walked out to “Born Free” by Kid Rock as the crowd cheered “MITT MITT MITT.”

“I’m proud of our immigrant heritage, proud that so many of us and of our ancestors came here because they wanted to be here, to build a better future for their children here, to worship their God here.”

Read Gov. Romney’s full remarks as prepared for delivery (after the jump):

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Republican Candidates Woo Latino Voters

Republican Presidential campaigns are solidifying their strategy to connect with Latino voters, the nation’s largest growing demographic and a critical swing vote in battle ground states. The diverse group of voters is a must win for both political parties in order to claim victory in November 2012, given the break down of the electoral map.

Recently, the Obama team described possible paths to victory for the incumbent President, explaining how he can win the 270 electoral votes necessary to secure a second term. Four out of the Five paths rely heavily on support from the Latino community. Republicans are hoping to change that equation with renewed efforts to improve the Party’s image with the Hispanic electorate.

In a recent interview with AFP the GOP campaigns discussed the Latino vote and how they plan to win over Hispanic voters.  Given the failing economy and overall Latino disapproval of President Barack Obama many Republicans are mapping out their own path to victory with the Latino vote.

“We realize that Hispanics are an important part of both the primary process and the general election process,” said Ryan Williams, a spokesman for the campaign of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

“We’re committed to reaching out to them and discussing Governor Romney’s messages on jobs and economy,” he added.

More than 60 percent of US Hispanics are of Mexican origin or descent, with other large communities from Central American nations, Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

Increasingly more have come from South American nations like Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. Because the group is so diverse — with different social, linguistic, religious and economic priorities linked only by Spanish colonial cultural ties — it is hard to target as an electoral force…

…Gingrich, in an address in New York state this month, said “my basic approach is first of all the economy: the Latino community is very hard-working, they take care of their families.”

“Gingrich really understands that Latinos think for ourselves. It’s the same thing (Republican president Ronald) Reagan used to say: that Hispanics were Republican and just didn’t know it yet,” joked Sylvia Garcia, Gingrich’s National Hispanic Inclusion Director.”

Read more of Jordi Zamora’s AFP article: “Republicans bid to overhaul image, woo Hispanics“

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POLL: Latinos Undecided and Unenthusiastic about 2012 Elections

A new poll by Latino Decisions shows that about half of Latino voters are still undecided on who to vote for President and are not excited about the upcoming 2012 election. The data is bad news for President Obama who needs a super majority of Latino support, about 75%, to secure a second term in the White House.

The new poll examined a variety of topics including likely voter turnout and important policy issue facing Latinos, economy and jobs still remain at the top of that list. Latino Decisions poll also asked about the role of religion in Latino political attitudes, the impact of Marco Rubio on a presidential ticket and the efforts of both political parties in engaging Hispanic voters.

While the ever changing Republican primary has generated a lot of media attention, it has done little to excite the average Hispanic voter about the Presidential election. Only 44% of Latino voters said they are very enthusiastic about participating in next year’s U.S. presidential election, compared with 47% in October and 50% in August.

When examining Latino attitudes towards the GOP and the Republican Party it is clear that there is much work to be done. About 20% of Latino respondents said they are certain or are considering voting for a Republican candidate. Half of Latinos feel the Republican Party  is doing a poor job in connecting with Hispanics. This can be turned into an opportunities for Republican candidates to connect and motivate Hispanic voters who aren’t currently engaged in the political debate. A recent Univision poll found that a majority of Latino voters still were not familiar with the Republican presidential field.

A rare topic that was examined by the Latino Decisions poll was religion and politics from the perspective of Latino voters. It found that while Latinos are somewhat more religious as compared to non-Latinos, their religious beliefs are far less relevant to their political attitudes. 53% of respondents said that religion had no impact on their vote and about 55% of Latinos don’t care about a candidate’s religion. When asked about Mormonism,  less than 1/3 of Latinos know that Mormonism is a form of Christianity – a question that was clearly aimed at understanding Latino attitudes towards Republican Mitt Romney.

Read the full report and see the slide deck on the poll at Latino Decisions: “Latinos not very enthusiastic about the 2012 election“

“…The impreMedia/Latino Decisions poll began measuring the election preferences of Latino voters in February of this year. It has been measuring their enthusiasm for voting in next year’s presidential election and their potential support for President Obama and a Republican rival. In six separate polls, Latino voters’ tendency to identify with the Democrats and President Obama’s approval rating among the majority of Latinos—except for Latino Republicans—have fluctuated somewhat, but have generally remained above 60%. Nevertheless, the voting intentions and enthusiasm of Latinos, which are crucial for Barack Obama’s re-election in states such as Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado and even Arizona, which is now said to be up for grabs, are not as positive for the president as could be expected. “On the Democratic side, there’s no competition or much discussion. In 2008, as we remember, there was a lot of enthusiasm around the race, particularly between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama,” said Barreto….”

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Mitt Romney Wins Major Latino Endorsement in Florida (UPDATED)

Romney speaking at Florida's Republican National Hispanic Assembly conference

Mitt Romney picked up a major endorsement from three prominent Latino Republicans in Florida. The GOP Presidential frontrunner won the support of Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart and his brother, former Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart.

The approval from the three Cuban-American leaders is a huge boost for Romney and can help him further appeal to Hispanics and especially Cuban-Americans in Florida. It is a sign of Romney’s strength going into the Florida Primary, scheduled for January 31.

The endorsement from the Cuban-American leaders is an indicator that Romney will make a big push to win Cuban-Americans and Hispanic voters in Florida. Miami-Dade is Florida’s largest and most-Hispanic county. According to the Miami Herald, Hispanic voters, nearly all of whom are of Cuban descent, account for 72 percent of the roughly 368,000 registered Republicans in the county.

The Cuban-American vote is a vital constituency group for Florida Republicans and has been a key for GOP candidates to win the nomination. A fact Romney, and all the GOP candidates are well aware of. In 2008 Senator John McCain obtained the endorsements of Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Mel Martinez. McCain went on to win the Florida’s GOP Primary by a margin of 97,000 votes. McCain’s Miami-Dade margin: 52,000. The Florida win catapulted McCain to win the nomination and ended Romney’s candidacy.

Now all four Cuban-American leaders have thrown their full support towards Mitt Romney.  That equates to major good news for Romney’s chances to capture the nomination.

Make no doubt about it, the Latino leaders will be on Florida’s spanish-language radio and television promoting their candidate to Hispanic voters statewide. They will make the case, that in this economy, the nation needs a leader with Romney’s economic credentials.

According to the Miami Herald:

“…[Mel] Martinez said he was backing Romney because he is the candidate with the best record and the best chance of beating President Barack Obama.

“I understand Mitt Romney to be a fair-minded, decent person,” Martinez said. “I’m not concerned about what may be some difference in nuances.”

Representative Diaz-Balart said in a written statement that he’s backing Romney because “we need a president who won’t apologize for America, but will work to secure free markets, economic opportunity, and human rights for all people around the world. Mitt Romney is that leader who will make America stronger and more respected in the world.”

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Tonight’s GOP Debate in Las Vegas

While Obama is campaigning for support of his jobs plan, Americans are analyzing their options for the 2012 election. Tonight, the Republican Presidential candidates will gather in Las Vegas, NV for a CNN debate. Many voters are wondering which of these GOP candidates can offer a real alternative to President Obama? Voters have all but lost faith in Washington D.C. and in politicians to fix the economy. The question is, which candidate can give Americans confidence in America?

The race for the GOP Presidential nomination has been a fascinating spectacle for political junkies given the large candidate field, the fluctuating primary calendar and the unique political environment. The “top-tier” of candidates has been constantly changing as Republican voters struggle to make up their minds. In many ways the 2012 GOP Presidential primary season has always been about two people: Mitt Romney versus the not-Romney candidate.

The last several weeks has cemented Mitt Romney as the GOP frontrunner. Tonight, in the eighth GOP debate, focus will be on Romney as he makes the case that he is the most electable and most likely to beat President Obama. The other focus will be placed on Herman Cain and the one time frontrunner Rick Perry. Even with major mis-steps in past debates, the Texas Governor has been able to hold on to Presidential hopes given his fundraising power.

I spoke to the San Francisco Chronicle about the GOP candidates and specifically if Rick Perry still has a chance to become a top-tier candidate again. I was asked specifically about Perry’s appeal to Latino voters, given that the debate is taking place in Nevada, which has a 26% Latino population.

SF CHRON: “Rick Perry moves to stem immigration backlash“

“Bettina Inclan, a California Republican consultant, said Perry still has a chance to differentiate himself from other Republicans as a candidate with a track record on immigration, in contrast to Cain, who joked this week about an “electrified” fence on the border, and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, who pledges to build a fence the entire length of the border.

‘At the end of the day, Perry is the only presidential candidate who has real experience in dealing with a diverse Latino community,’ Inclan said.”

Things are constantly changing but here some thoughts on what to expect tonight:

Mitt Romney: Expect another great debate performance by the GOP frontrunner.  Romney, who exudes confidence, will try to establish himself as the adult in the room. He will make the point that his unique experience in both the private and pubic sector makes him the only candidate to successfully deal with the economy. Romney’s biggest challenge will be to excite the base and get more conservatives on his side. He will likely poke holes in Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan, as well as continue to attack Rick Perry, seeing Perry’s Texas size fundraising skills as one of his biggest hurdles in Romney’s road to the nomination.

Herman Cain: A long time Tea Party favorite, Cain he has used his engaging personality and speaking abilities to skyrocket to the top of the national polls. (Leaving many in the political chattering class scratching their

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Mel Martinez Endorses Romney For President

Former Florida U.S. Senator Mel Martinez endorsed GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and will serve as the Chairman of Romney’s National Advisory Council.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Martinez said, “I have great confidence that Mitt Romney is the candidate to get our country back on track. Unemployment remains a pressing issue both in Florida and across the nation. Now more than ever, we need a leader who will get our country’s fiscal house in order.”

Martinez was the first Hispanic to serve as chairman of a major political party when he became chairman of the Republican National Committee in 2006. As Senator and as GOP Chairman, the Cuban-born Martinez worked closely with President George W. Bush to convince his fellow conservative lawmakers to support comprehensive immigration reform.

The Washington Post’s The Fix points out, “Interestingly, Martinez quit the Senate in 2009 in large part because his party refused to consider comprehensive immigration reform that would have included a path to legal status for millions of undocumented immigrants. Romney has been attacking Perry on the campaign trail as too soft on immigration.”

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Nevada: GOP walks tightrope on immigration issue

The GOP Presidential candidates as walking a very tight rope on the immigration issue as they fight to secure the Republican nomination.  While being tough on immigration might help a candidate win votes in a GOP Primary, it might derails the same candidate during the general election…

As one of the first states to vote for the Republican Presidential nominee, national eyes have focused on Nevada, where Latinos make up 14% of the electorate. The Las Vegas Sun writes how immigration will play in the primary and in the general election. This tightrope walk on immigration isn’t exclusive to Nevada, as many swing states have large Hispanic populations (i.e: Florida, New Mexico, Colorado…).

…But immigration likely won’t be the deciding issue in the primary. And if Perry pulls through, his record could draw Hispanic voters from Democrats, particularly as President Barack Obama’s approval rating with Hispanics has dropped.

Likewise, as Romney latches on to immigration as a wedge to drive conservative voters away from Perry he could have the reverse problem should he make it to the general by espousing harsher immigration policies that might antagonize Hispanic voters needed for a Nevada win.

Romney’s camp denies his positions on immigration — which include building the border fence, pushing English-immersion education, supporting Arizona’s immigration law and opposing in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants — would alienate Hispanic voters.

“Gov. Romney has consistently supported legal immigration and opposed illegal immigration,” his spokesman Ryan Williams said. “Gov. Perry has supported liberal policies that encourage illegal immigration.”

Democrats are already working to shift the narrative away from Perry as a champion of pragmatic immigration policies…

Read full article: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/oct/06/rick-perry-walks-tightrope-immigration-issue/

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Marco Rubio Says No To Vice President, Talks Immigration

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) clamped down on VP rumors, telling reporters he was “not going to be the vice presidential nominee” for the Republican Party. Speaking at the Washington Ideas Forum at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., he provided advice to his fellow Republicans on the complicated immigration issue, saying the GOP can’t be “the anti-illegal immigration party.”. Rubio was also asked about the Univision controversy.

Discussing the Vice Presidential rumors, ABC’s The Note reported:

When asked… Rubio repeated twice for emphasis, “I am not going to be the Vice Presidential nominee. I am not going to be the Vice Presidential nominee.”

Asked during the forum if he would turn down an offer if the Republican presidential nominee asks him to, Rubio responded, “Yea, I believe so,” adding again, “the answer is gonna be no.”…

“I’m not focused on that,” [Rubio] said. “I don’t crave it. I wanted to be a United States Senator. I didn’t run for the Senate as an opportunity to have a launching pad for some other job. I think one of the things that I lament is that people somehow come to the conclusion that United States Senator is not enough. Listen, the United States Senate is still an important, I think very important institution.”

With immigration becoming an ever-present issue during the GOP Presidential primary, Rubio offered his Republican colleagues some advice on the issue. He warned Republicans to pay attention to their tone and to not have primary focus on immigrants who entered the country illegally. The Huffington Post reported:

“We cannot be the anti-illegal immigration party. We have to be the pro-legal immigration party,” [Rubio] said. “We have to be a party that advocates for a legal immigration system that’s good for Americans, good for America and honors our tradition both as a nation of immigrants and as a nation of law.”

Immigration has become a main issue in the GOP Presidential Primary, to the disappointment of many Hispanic Republican and GOP leaders. Many Republicanos worry that the GOP will squander a unique opportunity to connect with Latino voters who are disillusioned with President Obama, suffering through high-unemployment and looking for a Presidential candidate that can fix the economy.

Mitt Romney has attacked Texas Governor Rick Perry for supporting legislation in 2001 that provides in-state tuition for some of Texas’ undocumented students.  In 2003, as a member of the Florida legislature, Marco Rubio supported legislation that would

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News Round-Up: Immigration & Romney, Boycotting Univision

In case you missed it….a quick round-up of top headlines focusing on Hispanics and the GOP:

• AD AGE:  To Reach Latino Voters, Forget Immigration Issue and Do Ads in Spanish (NATIONAL)
  

Great piece with lots of juicy stats on Hispanics and the Latino electorate: “…Hispanics represent about 9% or 10% of the electorate, but in key states can make up 12% to 16% of voters, and as much as 35% of the voting population. And they’re not as interested in the immigration issue as politicians appear to believe they are.

“They’re more interested in the economy, jobs, education, government waste and higher taxes,” Mr. Mellman said. “Language is also important. A large percentage of the swing voters — one-third or more — is Spanish dominant. A relatively small group only watches English-language media, and even they think it’s important to advertise on Spanish-language media. They say that’s a sign of respect for their community.”

• FOX NEWS LATINO: Presidential Race 2012: Political Attention Turns to Nevada (Nevada)

Reacting to the accelerated GOP Primary calendar, the Nevada caucuses may move up to January, getting ahead of Florida. Nevada has a growing Latino population, and estimated 14% of eligible Nevada voters are Hispanic: “Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Georgia businessman Herman Cain have been working Nevada for months in advance of the caucuses. They’ve hired campaign staffs, opened offices and assembled networks of volunteers. The other candidates are starting to follow, mindful of the huge fundraising and popularity bump that comes with winning one of the three states that kick off the voting.”

• Miami Herald: ‘Boycott Univision debate,’ Florida Republicans tell RNC (Florida)

Top Florida Hispanic Republicans are calling on the national GOP and their party’s presidential candidates to boycott a proposed Univision debate amid allegations that Spanish-language television network Univision tried to “extort” Sen. Marco Rubio. The GOP leaders sent this open letter to the Republican National Committee. READ MORE.

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Herman Cain’s Hot Streak

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain continues to gain momentum with a series of straw poll victories over the weekend, including a win with GOP women.

Cain won 48.9 percent of the straw poll vote at this weekend’s National Federation of Republican Women Convention in Kansas City. Texas Governor Rick Perry (14.1 percent) came in a distant second place and Mitt Romney (13.3 percent) placed in third. The poll featured nine Republican presidential candidates. View full results here.

The National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) is one the largest women’s political organizations in the country. The straw poll win is Cain’s latest triumph, as he continues to gain support among GOP activists, the conservative Republican base and the Tea Party movement.

Just last month, Cain had a surprising victory at Florida’s Presidency 5 straw poll. He won 37 percent of the vote; winning more votes than the two GOP front-runners, Perry (15 percent) and Romney (14 percent), combined.

The Florida straw poll victory propelled Cain, former CEO of Godfather Pizza, to the top tier of Republican Presidential Candidates. A national poll by Fox News released last week, showed Herman Cain in third place, behind Perry and Romney.

Cain’s winning streak continued in Illinois at TeaCon 2011, the Midwest Tea Party convention held this past Saturday. Cain won first place, with

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