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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 29 december 2018

Latino support for GOP steady despite Trump immigration talk

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI lican gubernatorial can-
Associated Press didate Walker Stapleton,
LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) — Pe- who was crushed by Dem-
dro Gonzalez has faith in ocratic Rep. Jared Polis as
Donald Trump and his par- the GOP lost every race for
ty. statewide office.
The 55-year-old Colombian Gonzalez understands the
immigrant is a pastor at anger among some Latinos
an evangelical church in at the GOP and Trump for
suburban Denver. Initially what he says is a false im-
repelled by Trump in 2016, pression of a solely hard-
he’s been heartened by line immigration stance. “In
the president’s steps to pro- the community that is not
tect religious groups and informed, that is following
appoint judges who op- the rhetoric of the media,
pose abortion rights. More there’s a view that Don-
important, Gonzalez sees ald Trump is a bad guy,”
Trump’s presidency as part Gonzalez said. Evangeli-
of a divine plan. cals “understand that he’s
“It doesn’t matter what I there to defend values.”
think,” Gonzalez said of Gonzalez’s church is Igle-
the president. “He was put sia Embajada del Reino, or
there.” Church of the Kingdom’s
Though Latino voters are a Embassy. On a recent Sat-
key part of the Democratic urday night, an eight-piece
coalition, there is a larger band played Spanish-lan-
bloc of reliable Republi- guage Christian rock be-
can Latinos than many In this May 25, 2016, file photo, a man holds up a sign for then-Republican presidential candidate fore Gonzalez walked to
think. And the GOP’s po- Donald Trump before the start of a rally at the Anaheim Convention Center, Wednesday, May 25, the podium. Wearing a blue
sition among Latinos has 2016, in Anaheim, Calif. corduroy blazer, blue shirt
not weakened during the Associated Press and grey slacks, Gonzalez,
Trump administration, de- said Fernand Amandi, a Trump’s spiritual advisers, or rally behind Democrats’ a onetime member of a
spite the president’s rheto- Miami-based Democratic said evangelical Latinos gubernatorial candidate, Marxist group in Colombia,
ric against immigrants and pollster. He argues Demo- have a clear reason to Tallahassee Mayor Andrew told his congregants that
the party’s shift to the right crats must invest more in vote Republican. “Why do Gillum, who lost to Republi- they were ambassadors of
on immigration. winning Latino voters. 30 percent of Latinos still can Rep. Ron DeSantis. a higher power — the king-
In November’s elections, 32 The VoteCast data shows support Trump? Because of Still, in the rest of the coun- dom of God.
percent of Latinos voted for that, like white voters, Lati- the Democratic Party’s ob- try, there were signs that “It’s important that your po-
Republicans, according to nos are split by gender — session with abortion,” Ro- pleased Democrats. Lati- litical opinions, your social
AP VoteCast data. The sur- 61 percent of men voted driguez said. “It’s life and nos voted at high rates in an opinions,” not enter into it,
vey of more than 115,000 Democratic in November, religious liberty and every- election that saw record- Gonzalez said. “We need
midterm voters — including while 69 percent of women thing else follows.” setting turnout among all to represent the position of
7,738 Latino voters — was did. And while Republican- Some conservative Latinos demographic groups. Lati- ‘The Kingdom.’ “ Afterward
conducted for The Associ- leaning Latinos can be say their political leanings nos normally have among the congregation gath-
ated Press by NORC at the found everywhere in the make them feel more like the worst midterm turnout ered for bowls of posole, a
University of Chicago. country, two groups stand a minority than their eth- rates, and while official traditional Mexican soup.
Other surveys also found out as especially likely to nicity does. Irina Vilariño, data won’t be available for When politics came up,
roughly one-third of Latinos back the GOP — evangeli- 43, a Miami restauranteur months, a number of for- church-goers struggled to
supporting the GOP. Data cals and veterans. and Cuban immigrant, said merly-Republican congres- balance their enthusiasm
from the Pew Research Evangelicals comprised she had presidential bum- sional districts in California for some of Trump’s judicial
Center and from exit polls about one-quarter of La- per stickers for Sen. John and New Mexico flipped appointments with their dis-
suggests that a compa- tino voters, and veterans McCain, Mitt Romney and Democratic. taste at his rhetoric and ac-
rable share of about 3 in were 13 percent. Both Trump scratched off her That’s why Republicans tions. “I think the president
10 Latino voters supported groups were about evenly car. She said she never suf- shouldn’t take solace from has good, Christian prin-
Trump in 2016. That tracks split between the two par- fered from discrimination being able to consistently ciples,” said Jose Larios, a
the share of Latinos sup- ties. Mike Madrid, a Repub- growing up in a predomi- win about one-third of La- parks worker. “But we feel
porting Republicans for the lican strategist in California, nantly white south Florida tinos, said Madrid. They’re as Latinos that he doesn’t
last decade. said those groups have community, “but I remem- still losing two-thirds of an embrace our community,
The stability of Republicans’ reliably provided the GOP ber during the McCain electorate that’s being and our community is good
share of the Latino vote frus- with many Latino votes for campaign being discrimi- goaded into the voting and hard-working.”
trates Democrats, who say years. nated against because I booth by Trump. Oscar Murillo, a 37-year-old
actions like Trump’s family “They stick and they do supported him.” “That is contributing to the horse trainer, is not a fan of
separation policy and his not go away,” Madrid said. The 2018 election was death spiral of the Republi- Trump’s. But he tries to stay
demonization of an immi- Much as with Trump’s own good to Democrats, but can Party — even if it holds open-minded about Re-
grant caravan should drive core white voters, attacks Florida disappointed them. at 30 percent,” Madrid said. publicans. He voted for the
Latinos out of the GOP. on the president and other They couldn’t convince “That’s a route to death, it’s GOP candidate for state
“The question is not are Republicans for being anti- enough of the state’s often just a slower one.” attorney general, who vis-
Democrats winning the His- immigrant “just make them right-leaning Cuban-Ameri- Gonzalez, the pastor, sees ited the congregation be-
panic vote — it’s why aren’t dig in even more,” he add- can voters to support Sen. the trend in Colorado. He fore the election. “He’s in
Democrats winning the His- ed. Bill Nelson, who was oust- distributed literature across the same party as Trump,
panic vote 80-20 or 90-10 Sacramento-based Rev. ed by the GOP’s Spanish- Spanish-speaking congre- but he seems different,”
the way black voters are?” Sam Rodriguez, one of speaking Gov. Rick Scott, gations supporting Repub- Murillo said.q