Speech #1090157000

She said the national Republican Party is running "a real risk" of replicating the blunder that began unraveling the California GOP in 1994. Thats when tbenGov. Pete Wilson (R) backed a ballot initiative barring illegal immigrants from attending public schools or receiving social services. The ensuing uproar drove hundreds of thousands of Latino voters into Democrats arms. The state has backed Democratic presidential and senatorial nominees ever since. "That is exactly the danger that is facing Republicans today." Munoz said. She praised Bush. Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman and others who "know that immigrantbashing is disastrous to the future of their partyand theyre right." Peter Zamora. legislative attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. said he believes that House leaders will manage to salvage the Voting Rights Act renewal. However. he said. "it will be a political challenge to explain tabling the Voting Rights Act to the Latino community if action isnt taken very soon." Both parties are energetically courting the nations burgeoning Hispanic population. which will become increasingly Important as more second- and thirdgeneration Latinos get involved in politics. and as more immigrants attain citizenship and the right to vote. Most Latino voters lean Democratic. but Republicans have long felt they can chip away at that advantage. Bushwho has advocated social services and pathways to legal status for illegal immigrants since he was governor of Texas--took 40 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2004 after winning 34 percent in 2000. according to exit polls. In league with Mehlman. political adviser Karl Rove and others. Bush has urged his party to pursue Latino voters in numbers that could help keep Democrats in the minority for decades. But some GOP activists say the drive is being undermined by the Republicancontrolled Houses tough stance on immigration and the flap over voting rights. Many Southern House Republicans have long objected to the Voting Rights Acts requirement that their states obtain Justice Department approval for an array of voting activities. Last week. in a closed GOP caucus meeting. they were joined by colleagues from throughout the country who object to a measure added in 1975 that requires ballots or interpreters to be available in a number of foreign languages in places where census reports found a need for language help. "Multilingual ballots divide our country. increase the risk of voter error and fraud. and burden local taxpayers." said a letter signed by nearly 80 House Republicans and authored by Rep.