Democrats may be touting their advantage with Hispanic voters. It’s something that’s certainly on the mind of Republicans. At the local and state level, Republican have been able to make decent gains into these communities—the Texas GOP is an example—but nationally the party has a way to go regarding outreach. But there is some sliver of hope for Republicans to make inroads. Right now, Hispanic voters, like Asians, overwhelming support a large government; though support dips the longer they’re immersed in American culture (via PanAm Post):
According to the Pew Research Survey, “When it comes to the size of government, Hispanics are more likely than the general public to say they would rather have a bigger government providing more services than a smaller government with fewer services.”But the difference is not small. Overall, 75 percent of Hispanics prefer bigger government, compared with only 41 percent of the general US public. Interestingly, Hispanic support for large government declines after more time immersed in American values.
For 81 percent of first-generation Hispanic immigrants, a bigger government is more desirable. For the second generation, the preference drops to 72 percent. By the third generation, only 58 percent prefer bigger government.
Hispanic preference for bigger government prevails regardless of party affiliation, and Hispanic Catholics are particularly supportive of a larger government. Overall, 56 percent of U.S. Hispanics either identify with the Democratic Party or are independent but lean democratic, while 21 percent identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. Parenthetically, Cubans are somewhat of a political anomaly. Cubans who are registered to vote are closely split in party affiliation: 47 percent identify with the GOP, while 44 percent tilt toward the Democrats.
Jose Azel of the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies aptly notes that Latin America is usually dotted with class warfare and calls for social justice. The political foundations of most of the countries in the region is marked by socioeconomic instability that might have called for more government intervention, even veering into authoritarian action as we’ve seen in Venezuela.
Like Asian Americans, you would think they would be model candidates to be core members of the Republican voting bloc. They’re hard working, church going, usually from regions of the world where left wing economics has brought nothing but misery, yet they trend leftward in their voting habits. Part of this is that Republicans don’t enough outreach, like showing up to their respective cultural festivals. Another aspect of field outreach is having candidates says absurd things about immigrant groups. This has a ripple effect as other immigrant groups usually rally around the one that’s perceived as being attacked. Nevertheless, the main point is that Hispanics, like most voter groups in the country, are winnable—and the longer they remain immersed in our values, the more they shed the collectivist leanings of their former home countries. There’s an opening there.
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