Latinos, the GOP, and Immigration: Back to the Future?

Michael Gerson of the Washington Post has a good op/ed on how the Republicans “get-tough-on-immigraton” stance is contrary to the long run interests of the Republican Party.  Latinos are increasingly seeing the Reps as the party of restrictionists, not inclusiveness.  As the Latino population — including the number or U.S. citizens — swells, the negative perception of the GOP can hardly help it win future elections.  Remember Pete Wilson?  Many, perhaps most, people don’t.  Wilson rode California’s anti-immigrant — in a campaign with anti-Latino themes — Proposition 187 into a second term as Governor in 1994.  That was Wilson’s last political hurrah.  Does he even attend Republican conventions anymore?

KJ