McCain: Without Hispanic Voters, GOP In "Very, Very Deep Hole"

Having attempted to put together a voting coalition broad enough to get elected president, Sen. John McCain (R-A.Z.) knows better than any other lawmaker the shortcomings and vulnerabilities of the Republican Party.

So his declaration on Sunday morning that the GOP faced a dire situation unless it did more to bring Hispanic voters into its ranks is likely to be treated as a blaring warning siren, not mere political analysis.

"On the issue of the Hispanic voter, we have to do a lot more. We Republicans have to recruit and elect Hispanics to office," McCain told CNN's State of Union. "And I don't mean just because they're Hispanics, but they represent a big part of the growing population in America. And we have a lot of work to do there. And I am of the belief that unless we reverse the trend of Hispanic voter registration, we have a very, very deep hole that we've got to come out of."

While he was one of only a handful of Republicans willing to tackle immigration reform in 2007, McCain faced a massive deficit with Hispanic voters in the 2008 election. His aides have said that, were he not the home state senator, he would have lost Arizona to Barack Obama, in large part because Hispanics had left the Republican Party in droves.

Certainly, Democrats are aware of the massive electoral ramifications that could come from this development. In an interview with the Huffington Post last week, DNC Chair Tim Kaine suggested that Republican opposition to Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor and comprehensive health care reform could end up costing the party dearly with Hispanic voters down the road.

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Comments

[DickNH]

John.....I believe you will pay a well deserved price for your statements­....the good voters of AZ will turn their backs on you, just as you have turned your back on them, especially the Hispanics and veterans.

[CaptainVideo]

The fact that he is voting against Sotomayor is actually good news. That will make it easier to scrap this old clunker in 2010.

[WakeMeUpNow]

Hold on. Congress just appoved 2 billion to scrap clunkers off the road. Bye bye gas gusling junk polluter McCain't!

[CaptainVideo]

Sotomayor is the only Supreme Court nominee that he has ever voted against.

[mooseman01]

McCain decries need for Republicans to get the Hispanic vote. McCain announces he will not for for confirmation of Judge Sotomayor.

What planet does he live on?

[Talossa]

Maybe he's trying to visualize a planet without Latinos. Who knows.

[mooseman01]

McCain, on Republican need of Hispanic votes. Didn't I just read here on Huffington that the Senator is going to vote agains confirming Judge Sotomayor?

[WakeMeUpNow]

So McCain said shooting yourself in the foot could be really bad, but HE's going to do it anyway.... how is that intelligent?

[Kiranitisme]

This old hypocrite just announced today that he will vote against Sonia Sotomayor. Is this a coincidence or just a GOP tragedy in the making?

[maisnon55]

Scratching my head here. On the one hand he says they are in trouble without the Hispanic vote and on the other he votes negatively for a well qualified Hispanic judge. This is AWESOME. Put McCain's intellect together with the Birthers and we have it made for decades!

[mikedarooky5]

Non event! Hispanics don't vote

[dcrinaz]

On the contrary, Hispanics do vote and we can thank Hispanics for the election of Barack Obama and the ascendency of Democrats in Congress. Why do you think Republicans work so hard to discredit Hispanics? And before you say something, check your facts and report the truth, or you sound ignorant.

[DickNH]

..........­..and, hopefully, they will bury HIM at the bottom of that "very, very deep hole" by voting him OUT .

[Victor Figueroa]

and this guy was running for president? another OLD replubican .

[dcrinaz]

G.O.P. now stands for Graying Old Pharts.

[bringmetheheadof]

"And I am of the belief that unless we reverse the trend of Hispanic voter registration, we have a very, very deep hole that we've got to come out of?!"

Does this mean McCain's against Hispanic voters registering at all? or just the fact they're registering Dem in greater numbers than GOP?? WTF's he talking about?! Open mouth, insert wingtip...

[Nomccain]

TYPICALREP­UBLICAN...­.Talks one way and does another! Losers!

[Novelene]

Excuse me.

John Mc Cain yesterday:

"On the issue of the Hispanic voter, we have to do a lot more. We Republicans have to recruit and elect Hispanics to office," McCain told CNN's State of Union. "

...and voting against Sotomayor is going to woo Hispanics?

[talkpeople]

He's too old to be progressive. I think it's time these old bats leave office and let the younger more intouch canidates fill their positions. Too big of a generation gap.

[jeanwny]

This old bat is in total agreement with you.

[mikedarooky5]

Agreed! Babyboomers have ruined everything. Time to walk into the forest and just go away. By by boomers!

Busters are slowly grasping control and now we have to fix everything.

[TaparellimeetsRawls]

Translation for Ubiquitous123's Post:

Us Latinos will never vote for a Republican because they not only stereotype us, but they also treat us as if we were simple thieves that only live here to work. They are raci sts!

[elizlucinda]

Well they still have the ultra right and that is scary.