Why Democrats Are Losing Texas Latinos

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Who is ignoring rural Latinos?

Link to tweet

POLITICS & POLICY

Why Democrats Are Losing Texas Latinos

By Jack Herrera
October 2021

In an interview with Javier Villalobos in early June, Fox Business host Stuart Varney presented his guest with a riddle. Villalobos, a Republican, had just won the mayoral election in McAllen, the Texas border town at the end of the last great curve of the Rio Grande. Varney, barely containing his glee, wanted the politician to help viewers understand the victory. “Your honor,” Varney addressed Villalobos, “you are right on the border, eighty-five percent of the voters in your county are Hispanic, you are a Republican, and you won. Can you explain that? Because not many Americans expect a Hispanic electorate to go for a Republican mayor!”

Villalobos promptly set Varney straight. “I think a lot of people know, or should know, that Hispanics generally are very conservative.” His triumph, he explained, wasn’t stunning; he had simply met his voters where they were, with a “conservative agenda” of low taxes, limited government spending, and pro-business policies. Satisfied, Varney moved on to other questions familiar to South Texans who make national news. What did Villalobos think of the border wall? What about “illegal entry” of migrants? This part of the interview should have been routine. But Varney had apparently not learned the name of the town where Villalobos had been elected, mistakenly (and repeatedly) referring to McAllen as “McLaren.”

{snip}

[onecaliberal]

1. I guess he thinks the immigrant should pay all the taxes for the wealthy.

[ColinC]

2. It sounds like he made a solid case for the infrastructure bill

"...we as [city] should not be burning the costs associated [with bridges and roads on the border], and clearly we are." He referred tot he bridges that immigrants use and seemed to imply hat the city cannot and should not by themselves maintain those things. Now a few days after this interview aired, the infrastructure bill, BIF, did pass. I imagine it will have provided funds for the things he is referring to.

[peppertree]

3. Many Hispanic Republicans suffer from what in Spain they call 'being more Catholic than the Pope'

i.e. the need to side with those who despise you in order to fit in (or so they think).

During the inquisition, anyone with even vaguely 'Semitic' traits would, if confronted, insist they were "more Catholic than the Pope!" - in hopes of dispelling any suspicion they might be Jewish or Muslim.

Which, if suspected, was often tantamount to torture and/or death.

And so it is in an intimidating place like today's Texas: minorities - especially those who could "pass" for white - often feel they need to fit in as much as they can (if they can).

Or even outdo them, as in Rafael "Ted" Cruz's case.

[walkingman]

4. I have often wondered why Mexican citizens have accepted their fate for centuries

and not demanded a more equitable government. As far as being more "Catholic than the Pope" that is so true. Not being a Catholic, I am not sure what all that entails but as I tell my Catholic neighbors here in Central Texas....when I look at the history of the Catholic Church it scares the Hell out of me....maybe that is their intent.

[peppertree]

6. +1

Just another one of the subtle - and unfortunate - advantages right-wingers have in most countries: human pettiness, and the need to "belong" into whatever group is seen as dominant - even if they despise the poor fool.

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

5. How has DACA...

...helped the Democrats politically?

I mean...DACA is absolutely the right thing to do; however, republicans are openly against it and seem to be getting just as much support from Latino voters.