Ohio Demographics
According to theWashington Post, history has shown that no Republican has ever been elected to the White House without Ohio. Republicans more generally — are well aware of that fact. It’s why Romney — along with super surrogate New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — spent the days stumping in Ohio before the November 2012 elections.
An anti-immigrant sentiment reached a fevered pitch when Governor Jan Brewer signed the infamous SB1070 into law. On April 23, 2010, our Arizona Governor Jan Brewer stated the below before she signed a State Immigration Bill:
“Thank you for being here today, to join me as we take another step forward in protecting the state of Arizona. The bill I’m about to sign into law – Senate Bill 1070 – represents another tool for our state to use as we work to solve a crisis we did not create and the federal government has refused to fix …”
Unfortunately for Brewer, and later on June 25, 2012, the Supreme Court Decision gutted out most of what she signed with a reaction below by a Latin National Voting Group:
The Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution is alive and well today. The US Supreme Court clearly reaffirmed that immigration is within the preview of federal jurisdiction only. Arizona completely lost on the question of 1) undocumented immigrant registration; 2) undocumented immigrant employment; 3) law enforcement officers arresting without a warrant. The 4th provision regarding “papers please” was only narrowly upheld because the Court does not have the necessary facts to determine if the law is valid. The Court stated, “This opinion does not foreclose other preemption and constitutional challenges to the law as interpreted and applied after it goes into effect.” In other words the Court did not have the necessary facts in front of them at this time, but the issue is being left with the door wide open.
Ultimately Arizona et al. vs. the United States reiterated, “…as a general rule it is not a crime for a removable person to remain present in the United States.” … The 4th provision will be challenged as soon as it is implemented. We are confident the Supreme Court will uphold our Civil Rights.
Now here we are today, on November 18, 2013, and according to a strong woman leader in politics via Rep. Nancy Pelosi, we now have the votes that will fix the broken immigration system that would only enhance our national and economic security with 190 cosponsors on H.R.15 and 29 Republicans vowing support.
But Speaker John Boehner is dragging his feet that will fix the broken immigration system that will enhance our National Security.
Republicans own the House of Representatives and they are in charge of scheduling. Boehner and Eric Cantor do not want to put this on the agenda despite those who consider the current immigration system “very important” by 70% of voters in Republican-held competitive Ohio districts.
As a result of Speaker Boehner’s actions, women have no choice but to take charge in Ohio in order for dirty jobs to be done. Both women and Mexican American / Latino voters are organizing lists to target women in Ohio with the help concerned Ohio women who are politically active and who want the broken immigration system to be fixed. We are reminding the people of Ohio how the nation has been screaming for fixing the broken immigration via LEGAL immigration and comprehensive reform. But now that we have the opportunity, men like Speaker Boehner, Rep. Eric Cantor and Reince Priebus are reluctant to fix broken issues.
If Boehner and the Ohio GOP do not create a public sense of urgency, this could cost a couple of their competitive districts via OH-6 and OH-14, because we will remind women, Hispanic and independent voters how the current immigration system is rated as “very important” by their own constituents.
How will the Ohio GOP leadership explain to the voters how one of their own via Speaker Boehner could have solved a broken immigration system in 2013 but chose not to? Does speaker Boehner have any idea that Reps. David Joyce and Bill Johnson are at risk?
Looks like the Ohio GOP needs to look at a recent November 2013 memo provided by the Basswood Research regarding NATIONAL GENERAL ELECTION POLL ON IMMIGRATION ISSUES IN REPUBLICAN-HELD COMPETITIVE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
According to the research findings, inaction by GOP in swing districts will more than likely cost them their seats. Since its founding in 2001,Basswood Research has conducted survey research in every state and in hundreds of congressional districts and local communities. Its founder and principal, Jon Lerner, has been recognized by Roll Call, National Journal, the Washington Post and others as one of the leading Republican pollsters in the nation. Basswood has helped elect more than two dozen U.S. Senators, Members of Congress, and Governors, including leading conservatives such as Senators Tom Coburn, Pat Toomey, and Tim Scott. It has served as pollster for leading conservative advocacy groups such as the Club for Growth. And it has conducted surveys for the national Republican Party committees at the RGA, the NRSC, and the NRCC.
Here is what the memo states:
Methodology
On November 2-3, 2013, Basswood Research conducted a survey of likely general election voters in 20 congressional districts. These districts are widely viewed as the 20 most competitive ones currently held by Republican incumbents. The districts surveyed were: CA-10, CA-21, CO-6, FL-2, FL-10, IA-3, IL-13, IN-2, MI-1, MI-7, MI-11, MN-2, NE-2, NV-3, NY-11, NY-19, NY-23, OH-6, OH-14, PA-8. The survey was conducted by live professional interviewers by telephone. The overall sample size was 1000, with a margin of error of +/- 3.1%, at a 95% confidence interval. Each district contributed 50 interviews to the sample; as such, data in individual districts is much less reliable.
Key Findings
• Voters in key Republican districts are highly dissatisfied with political leadership in Washington across-the-board.
President Obama’s job approval rating is poor, with 41% approving and 58% disapproving. “Democrats in Congress” fare even worse, with 34% approving, and 63% disapproving. But it is “Republicans in Congress” who are in the worst shape in these Republican districts, with 27% approving and 70% disapproving of their job performance.
• Voters in key Republican districts want action on immigration reform.
Fixing the current immigration system is rated as “very important” by 70% of voters in these districts. An additional 23% rate action on immigration reform as “somewhat important.” Only 5% rate immigration reform as either “not very important” or “not at all important.”
• Voters prefer an imperfect immigration solution to no solution.
When given a choice between leaving the current immigration system the way it is, and “passing new laws that are not perfect, but do attempt to fix the serious flaws in the current system,” voters choose imperfect solutions over the status quo by a massive 77%-15% margin. That includes 67% of voters who consider themselves “very conservative,” and 72% of registered or affiliated Republicans.
The major elements of the comprehensive immigration reform proposals being considered in Congress have widespread support in these key Republican districts.
E-Verify: 80% support; 13% oppose
Dream Act: 78% support; 16% oppose
Earned pathway to citizenship for undocumented: 71% support; 21% oppose
Increasing fines for employers who hire 72% support; 23% oppose
Undocumented immigrants:
Increasing border patrol and border fencing: 67% support; 24% oppose
Increasing high tech legal immigration: 62% support; 30% oppose
• The combination of enhanced border security and pathway to citizenship represents a consensus position.
When presented with three options regarding the interconnection between border security to prevent future illegal immigration and citizenship for those who are presently in the country and undocumented, the following responses were found:
17% oppose a pathway to citizenship under all circumstances;
26% favor a pathway to citizenship even without any increase in border security;
50% favor a pathway to citizenship if it also includes substantially increased border security.
76% favor a pathway to citizenship, with or without enhanced border security.
• The partisan composition of these 20 districts favors Republicans.
By party registration/affiliation, respondents in this survey were 39% Republican, 35% Democratic, and 23% Independent. The generic party preference for Congress was +6.7 points Republican.
What does this mean for Latina Voters and the Latino Community?
It could mean Republicans in the House of Representatives will lose their power and majority seats in 2014 possibly getting a sweeter deal with a combined Democratic-controlled House and Senate.
If Priebus and the Ohio GOP think they can woo women and Hispanic voters in 2014 / 2016 with mere words, they have another think coming because what we see is the GOP ruining a good Thanksgiving / Christmas Season in 2013 — thus making it easy to ruin theirs come November 2014 for making us wait. Their stalling and delay tactics will remain fresh in our Mexican American minds for the remainder of the 2014 election year.
No Immigration Vote in 2013 Spells Trouble for the GOP in 2014 regarding rising Hispanic voters.