House race in FL Pits Ethnicity vs Party Loyalty

[Lost-in-FL]

:mad: Old news but not to me. Can you believe this s@#$^????

Does ethnicity trump party loyalty?

That question is central to the battle being played out for Central Florida's new Hispanic opportunity state House district that includes parts of Orange and Osceola counties. Drawn by this year's Legislature to be heavily Democratic and nearly 40 percent Hispanic, it should be a cakewalk for Democratic candidate Jose Fernandez.

Except that Fernandez is Nicaraguan. His Republican opponent, John Quiñones, is Puerto Rican -- as are most of the Hispanic voters in the district. That's why people are talking.

"Everyone wants to elect their own people," said Orlando Figueroa of Kissimmee, a registered Democrat and Puerto Rican who said he hasn't made up his mind.

But another Puerto Rican Democrat, Israel Davila, said that what a candidate stands for is paramount.

"It's wrong to vote for someone just because he's Puerto Rican," said Davila, who has supported candidates from both parties in the past.

As the fall election approaches, Hispanics are being wooed as never before. Once seen as solidly Democratic, the Hispanic vote is up for grabs, especially in Central Florida.



http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues/2002/vol6n42/HouseRacePits-en.shtml

[desi]

1. A no-brainer for me.

NO Republican, even a full-blooded Puerto Rican born/bred like me, would ever get my vote. Matter of fact he would not be welcome in my home.

eta: "Davila, who has supported candidates from both parties in the past." I hope Mr. Davila has learned or will soon learn the folly of voting for the "other party." When will we ever learn?

[Lost-in-FL]

2. Same here...

No Republican (and worse if it is a Puerto Rican who is Republican) would get my vote. To me, "el es un vendido".