ICYMI: LA Times: Govs. Martinez and Sandoval Boost GOP with Latino Voters

An article in Sunday’s Los Angeles Times highlights concerns in Democratic circles about their Party’s standing with Hispanic voters following the elections of Republican Governors Brian Sandoval and Susana Martinez.

An excerpt is below:

Democrats Losing Favor With Some Latinos

Early this year, Brian Sandoval and Susana Martinez made history. He became Nevada’s first Latino governor. In New Mexico, she became the country’s first Latina governor.

Just as striking as their breakthrough is their party affiliation: Both are Republicans.

For many in the GOP, the twin victories last November, along with the election of Sen. Marco Rubio in Florida, marked an important step in efforts to mend the party’s frayed ties with Latino voters, which have suffered over the last several years of hard-line talk on immigration.

For Democrats, the election of the three was something else: a warning sign at a time when Latino support has grown increasingly vital to the party’s success, especially in the battleground states of the Rocky Mountains and desert Southwest.

Sens. Harry Reid of Nevada and Michael Bennet of Colorado each withstood the 2010 Republican wave thanks in good part to Latino support. President Obama is counting on strong Latino turnout to hold on to Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico — states he won in the last White House race — and to expand the 2012 competition to Arizona and, maybe, Texas and Georgia.

“The Republicans, by electing three national Latino leaders, have really challenged the Democratic Party,” said former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, until recently one of the highest-ranking Latino Democrats in the country.

You can read the piece in its entirety by clicking HERE.

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