An Open Letter to Republican Chairman Michael Steele on Reaching out to Hispanics
ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 4 /PRNewswire/ --
Dear Chairman Steele,
You have a very few months to take an important stand that could affect the future of the Republican Party. I certainly don't have to tell you, our party's future is in jeopardy.
President Barack Obama on his 100th Day said in his national press conference "I see the process (of immigration reform) moving this year." Mr. Chairman time is short. You should be our Party's most prominent spokesmen to send a message of inclusion to the Hispanic community.
The debate will be shifting from border security to the profoundly more difficult political question: "what do we do with the 12 million undocumented people who live here?"
Are we a party that supports (metaphorically) dragging illegal Hispanics from their homes and throwing them out of the country? Or does the Republican Party instead reach out to 12 million Hispanics who share many of our Party's values?
If we are going to win future elections, we must grow beyond the white male voter.
My concern is that as a Party we stand to alienate permanently Hispanics from our party and it could happen soon if you are silent, ambivalent or favor forcible expulsion of illegal Hispanics from America.
All Hispanics, legal and illegal, will hear your voice on the TV circuit. African Americans will hear the outreach message too.
As you well know Mr. Chairman, African Americans have been lost to our Party for four decades. With only a few exceptions, they vote with the Democrat Party at the rate of 95%.
We cannot withstand losing another "race of voters" to the Democrats. It will doom us. I can say that as a political advertising professional who is out on the front lines of election battles.
It is up to you Mr. Chairman. It is also the central reason why you were elected.
Inclusion can bring new voters to our Party. On the Friday night before Barack Obama was inaugurated, I bumped into Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
I asked him a question that I have pondered for years: "What would it take to get Hispanic voters to come over to the Republican Party?" It's a question that dates back to a study our company did back in 1992 that was commissioned by the RNC.
The Mayor's first of several suggestions was "Quit hating us. Quit trying to throw our people out of the country."
Mr. Chairman seize the opportunity rushing at you and reshape our Party. Join the debate vigorously, move beyond the narrow-minded opinions of some and chart a path for our Republican Party that embraces inclusion.
If you do, our Party will be rewarded with new Republican voters and new victories for decades to come.
Sincerely,
Paul O. Wilson
Chairman/CEO
SOURCE Wilson Grand Communication