McGurn: “More Latinos Bid ‘Adios’ to Democrats”
In a recent Wall Street Journal column, Editorial Board member William McGurn highlighted a familiar refrain for those of us at the NRSC: Hispanic voters are leaving the Democrat Party behind in favor of the Republicans’ aspirational agenda. McGurn cited recent results from the NRSC’s Hispanic Battleground Survey to make his point about why Hispanic voters are gravitating to the Republican Party.
A new National Republican Senatorial Committee survey of Latino likely voters in battleground states offers some striking insights here, especially on values and priorities. At a time when even some conservatives are attacking the GOP commitment to free markets, for example, the NRSC result is striking.
The survey asked Latinos to choose between two statements. The first was unadulterated Milton Friedman : “Some people say free-market capitalism is the best form of government because it gives people the freedom to work and achieve.”
The second was what we might call the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez option: “Other people say that socialism is the best form of government because it is more fair and equitable to working class people.”
Almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents opted for the Friedman position, against only 17% for the AOC line. Hardly surprising, given that so many Latinos came to the U.S. in the first place to escape socialism. But capitalism is just the beginning of the surprises:
- 67% are “very concerned” their kids “won’t have the same opportunities me and my family came here to find.”
- 58% said too many people in America are happy not to work and “just live off government assistance.”
- 80% percent agree that “public schools are failing.”
- 67% agree that too many Americans “are losing our traditional values centered on faith, family and freedom.”
- 57% “oppose Democrat efforts to pack the Supreme Court with liberal judges.”
- 72% agree “we should do what is necessary to control our southern border.”
- 65% oppose the Democrats’ “bill that would make voter ID illegal.”
- 50% agree that “many of the policies that Democrats say help all minorities actually end up hurting Hispanic families.”
The NRSC’s conclusion? The political future isn’t California—it’s Florida. Florida’s electorate, the report notes, is substantially less white than it was in 2000, yet it is also more Republican than it was 20 years ago.
CLICK HERE to read William McGurn’s full column.
Fox News hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino also discussed the results of the NRSC’s Hispanic Battleground Survey during an interview this morning with Republican strategist Karl Rove.
CLICK HERE to view the full results of the NRSC’s Hispanic Battleground Survey.
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