GOP candidates spent over $100 million but Meg Whitman still unlikely to gain Latino vote after demonizing immigrants in Republican Party primary

Washington, DC - Eliseo Medina, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Executive Vice-President released this statement in response to Meg Whitman's win in yesterday's California Republican Party gubernatorial primary:

Today the California Gubernatorial GOP primary victor, Meg Whitman, begins her long trek back from the extremist, anti-immigrant attacks that defined her primary strategy towards the center, where she will attempt to win back the thousands of immigrant voters she has alienated.

"Demonizing immigrants might have brought her yesterday's short term victory, but immigrants--particularly Latinos--are unlikely to reward this short-sighted gamesmanship in November. Indeed, Whitman and Steve Poizner spent over $100 million to dig a deeper hole for their party with the state's Latino voters.

"Whitman's embrace of anti-immigrant hyperbole to reach her extreme right wing Republican base recalls the days of Proposition 187 when Whitman's current campaign advisor, Pete Wilson, so alienated Latino voters that he created a lasting political shift in California, which the GOP has yet to recover from. After years of a concerted effort to win back Latinos in the state, you'd think that the GOP would stop scapegoating Latino immigrants--who comprise 21 percent of CA voters. Yet, here we are again.

"Poll after poll has shown that an overwhelming majority of Latino voters use a candidate's stance on immigration as a litmus test when making their voting decisions. It comes as no surprise then that when asked recently, by more than two to one, California's Latino voters said they would support Democrat Jerry Brown over Whitman if the general election were held today. Latino voters support for Democrats is up more than 10 percent since Whitman joined Steve Poizner in an open season attack on immigrants.

"Whitman and Poizner are not the only ones tarnishing the GOP brand among Latino voters. Arizona's SB 1070 and the slew of copycat laws that have been introduced by Republican state representatives across the nation have also made clear to Latino voters what they can expect from the Republican Party. And, it's not good.

"Whitman's recent immigrant-baiting has handed Democrat Jerry Brown a great chance to build a Latino majority that could last for yet another generation. Brown should seize this opportunity to demonstrate to the Latino and immigrant communities his strong support for a comprehensive solution for immigration reform with a pathway to legalization for hardworking immigrants. In the meantime, don't be surprised if Whitman's attempt to win back the Latino voters falls on deaf ears."

With 2.2 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers - not just corporations and CEOs - benefit from today's global economy.

www.seiu.org

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