HouChron: How to Woo Texas' Hispanic Voters

[crispini]

Helpful hints for clueless Dems in 2006 statewide races
By MARC A. CAMPOS and MATTHEW EMAL


Aviable and all encompassing Hispanic strategy has to be at the forefront of any campaign game plan if Democrats aspire to win statewide offices in 2006. Democrats can only win if they make serious adjustments and a significant investment in the Hispanic community. ADVERTISEMENT


Democrats must begin to acknowledge that this community is growing exponentially in Texas. For years, political scientists have said that the political party that makes the most inroads into the Hispanic community is the party that will dominate the state politically. According to the Willie C. Velasquez Institute, there are over more than 1.5 million unregistered Hispanic citizen adults in Texas. Much to the delight of Republican operatives, the Democrats have been notably derelict in directing resources toward registering Hispanics to vote.

Republicans know that in order to hold onto statewide offices, they have to wage a battle in the Hispanic community. Democrats have not come to terms with the fact that they too need to compete for the vote that in the past has gone solidly into their column. Long gone are the days when Republican statewide candidates (with the exception of the late John Tower) obediently yield this vote to the Democrats.

... more .....

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/editorial/outlook/2932114