Samuel Goldman: “Like California, Florida’s population has been heavily affected by Hispanic immigration. That immigration has different sources, though. Hispanics in California are predominantly of Mexican descent.”
“The situation is different in Florida. Cuban-Americans are a longstanding bloc of Republican voters. But Venezuelans and other Latinos who have fled socialist regimes and may be attracted to conservative messages. Donald Trump’s strong showing with these voters (as well as with Tejanos) suggests that Republicans don’t have an insurmountable problem with Hispanic voters or immigrants as such.”
“At minimum, though, Republicans’ prospects in Florida should relieve the pessimism that characterizes some conservatives’ attitudes toward immigration and cultural pluralism. Florida not only shows that Republicans can win non-white voters, but that they can do so without merely echoing Democrats’ positions.”
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