The Pew Hispanic Center released the findings of its 2011 National Survey of Latinos last week. The findings confirm what members of the Arizona Latino Republican Association have said for years; no political party should take the Latino vote for granted.
According to the survey, while the nation’s Latino population was more likely to identify themselves as liberal than the general populace, 32 percent identified themselves as “conservative” or “very conservative.” Overall 34 percent of Americans thought themselves to be conservative or very conservative.
“We have always known that a significant amount of Latinos are conservatives. Despite that fact, If the Republican Party wants to have any chance of ensuring long term viability within the Latino community, they will have to act with authenticity and intellectual honesty,” said Rey Torres, President of ALRA. “The amnesties of ’86 and the failed “compassionate” attempts in ’06 and ’07 have done nothing to change the party registry of most Latinos. Those pandering efforts are just as condescending, and unsuccessful, as when a well intentioned, tone deaf, pigmently challenged politician gets on stage to excruciatingly belt out mariachi songs. The key to achieving long term victories with Latino conservatives is the same as with all conservatives – ¡Es la economía estúpido!”
The survey included 1,220 randomly selected Latino adults from all 50 states and D.C. who were interviewed from November 9 to December 7. The survey was conducted in both English and Spanish, and recipients were contacted via cell phones and landline phones. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 3.6 percentage points.