“Death of a Party.” The California GOP disses Hispanics, chapter 3912.

This was sent to us (Art and Vern) by the authors who need to remain anonymous:  Two very disenchanted Hispanic Republican businesspeople in California’s 80th Assembly district – our southeasternmost district, bordering Arizona and Mexico, comprising Blythe, Brawley, Calexico, Calipatria, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, El Centro, Holtville, Imperial, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Springs, and Westmoreland.  The story speaks for itself.  The California Republican Party doesn’t give a rat’s ass about Latinos, ergo its death throes are not far off.

Death of a Party

Often in recent history times of turmoil have been preceded by times of great jubilation and success.  The great depression for instance of this century was preceded by the roaring 20’s.  Such is the current state of the Republican Party in California.  Great joy and a sense of eager excitement have gripped Republicans everywhere in anticipation of great gains in this year’s midterm election.

But while pollsters and pundits across the state and nation have predicted massive Republican gains this year, the real story of the Republican Party is being written in a little watched race in a place where the economic hammer has fallen the hardest.  In Imperial County, CA, where unemployment is the highest in the Nation at over 30%, the Republicans are facing what amounts to Custer’s Last Stand.

The Republican nominee for the 80^th District is a young up-and-coming politician by the name of Steve Sanchez.  Sanchez is a Conservative stalwart, well liked by the base of the party including the Tea Party.  He served for several years under a previous well-liked Assemblywoman, who termed out, as her District Director.  Sanchez is an 8-year Marine Corps Combat Veteran and active in many non-profit organizations and on the Board of Directors for two local Chambers.  In other words, the perfect pedigree for his race.

By all accounts, Steve has run a solid campaign, the best his opponent has been able to come up with against him is some missing paperwork on a business he owns, hardly a scandal.  And he has earned the endorsement of every local Federal and State representative in his area.  Steve Sanchez, a Latino candidate in a District that has been represented by a Republican for 8 of the last 10 years, in a year that is going the Republican’s way, has everything he needs to win.

Steve Sanchez will likely lose November 2^nd. Surprised?  Don’t be.  Here is the rest of the story.

Steve’s Democratic opponent, Manuel Perez, is also Latino.  But he has received nearly $300,000 in direct support from his party to try and hold this seat.  Steve Sanchez, the only Latino candidate running for State legislature in California as a Republican, has received $0. That’s right, nothing.

In many ways this is the story of the Republican Party in California.  In a State with a population that is increasingly Latino, the Republican Party has been completely inept when it comes to giving this important voting block a seat at the table.  While the complexion of the state has changed, the complexion of the party has stood stuck in suspended growth.  Perhaps the saddest part of the whole story is, they don’t seem to mind.  Even when a candidate falls in their laps, a candidate they probably could not even draw up on paper any better, they turn their nose.

So while the Republican Party may celebrate in great glee on November 3^rd, the true story of this election and future elections to come lay in a sad story of abandonment in a place that knows what it is like to be forgotten.  And one day soon the Party may look back and wonder why they ignored candidates like Steve Sanchez.  Standing in their own unemployment line, they will have time to ponder.

Steve Sanchez, unappreciated Republican Latino candidate.