‘Top Line’ — Can GOP Win Back Latino Voters?

ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: President Obama’s big margins among Latino voters in 2008 have prompted rounds of new efforts among Republicans to win back a critical — and fast-growing — demographic. Resurgent Republic, a newly formed conservative group, this month commissioned a poll on the subject. It found, among other interesting tidbits, that economic issues — not just social ones — could convince Latinos to vote Republican. But the poll also found that Latinos are generally inclined to support President Obama’s health care plan. On ABC’s “Top Line” today, we talked about Republican efforts to appeal to Latinos with Leslie Sanchez, a GOP strategist and a board member at Resurgent Republic. “I think the biggest issue with Hispanic voters is to realize there’s a lot of fluidity,” she said. “I think they’re very concerned about spending, deficits — those were the high marks, high water marks for us. And as Republicans, with strong fiscal policy I think there’s tremendous amount of appeal.” Sanchez also expressed concerns that the Tea Party events that have gotten so much attention seem to feature so few people of color. “If these Tea Party movements continue to look as if they’re led by a few fringe elements, it’s going to dissolve. It’s going to lose support not only among Latinos, ethnic communities, but women,” Sanchez said. “Latinos will never crash a party. But if you invite them they’ll bring the whole family.” Watch the discussion with Leslie Sanchez HERE.