By: Andy Alcala, GALEO Student Intern
Marco Rubio is seen by many as the first Hispanic presidential candidate who has a real chance of winning the Presidency. Rubio, a Republican Senator from Florida, may be just what the GOP needs to address their lack of support from the Hispanic community. On the surface, Rubio is the answer to the Republicans’ prayers; a young, bilingual, second generation Cuban-American. However, it is important to look deeper and compare Rubio’s views with those of the Hispanic community.
One of the issues most important to the Hispanic community is the issue of illegal immigration. 89% of Hispanics support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants as long as they meet certain requirements. Rubio has an unusual track record when it comes to immigration. In December 2012, he was part of the “Gang of eight”, eight senators who composed a bill to attempt to reform the immigration system in the United States. The bill included increasing the number of border patrol, providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and more visas provided to highly-skilled immigrants.
Rubio was an adamant proponent of this bill, appearing on conservative talk show radio frequently to advertise it. However, he was met with much resistance from his own political party. The more he supported the bill, the further he alienated himself from the GOP base. The bill eventually passed through the Senate, but when it came time to help push it through the House, Rubio didn’t meet up with the other seven Senators to help push it through. As a result, the bill died in the House. Today, Rubio says that he would not support the bill.
Rubio’s change of heart on the issue of immigration has been heavily criticized by immigration activists. In November of 2014, 31% of Hispanics polled had a favorable opinion of Rubio, compared to 36% with an unfavorable view. However, recently Rubio’s approval rate has increased. This can be contributed to his economic reform ideas and his willingness to address big issues, such as immigration. All in all, Rubio’s change on his approach to immigration has distanced many Hispanic voters.
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“NOTE: The opinions express in this blog are the opinions of the author only. It is not to be assumed that the opinions are those of GALEO or the GALEO Latino Community Development Fund. For the official position on any issue for GALEO, please contact Jerry Gonzalez, Executive Director of GALEO at jerry@2014old.galeo.org.”