With Sanchez Out, Democrats Have a Latino Dilemma

Retired Army General Ricardo Sanchez was supposed to be Democrats’ great big Texas hope.  With his marquee name, an extensive record of service and a natural in with the state’s booming Hispanic population, Sanchez was expected to attract national attention and enough in-state traction to give Republicans a run for their money.

But Sanchez has called it quits, citing lagging fundraising numbers and “pressing personal challenges,” including the recent loss of his family’s home due to fire.

“After extensive consultation with my family, Maria Elena and I have decided to put family first and I will therefore end my campaign for the 2012 U.S. Senate seat as of today,” Sanchez wrote in an email to supporters.

Sanchez’s decision presents a variety of problems for Democrats. While several heavyweight Republicans — Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, former state Solicitor General Ted Cruz and former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppertare — are lining up to fill the seat being vacated by Senator Kay Baily Hutchinson, Democrats are now left with slim pickings.

And unless Sanchez’s replacement is a Latino, Democrats will lose what would have otherwise been a golden opportunity to build a relationship with state’s booming Latino population.

Latinos are fueling Texas’ growth: census numbers reveal that Texas’ population grew to more than 25 million, with Hispanics accounting for 65% of that growth since 2000.  Hispanics now represent 37.6% of Texas’ population.  That’s a huge block of new constituents.  However, Hispanics make up only about 20 percent of the state’s registered voters and only 12-14 percent of the total vote.

While there have been other state wide Democratic Latino candidates, including Linda Chavez-Thompson Lieutenant Governor in 2010, and Tony Sanchez who ran a 2002 campaign against incumbent Governor Rick Perry, none who have offered a viable path to victory.   A state-wide campaign with Sanchez towards the top of the ticket could have gone a long way towards driving registrations and turnout.

To be fair, the challenge of recruiting exciting Hispanic Democratic candidates for state wide office isn’t just a Texas problem.  Nationally, Democrats have been slow to fill their bench. In the New Mexico Democratic Senate primary between Rep. Martin Heinrich and State Auditor Hector Balderas, a credible Hispanic candidate, the DSCC has chosen not to endorse.

Democrats’ paltry efforts are made more obvious by the recent emergence of a slew of high-profile Hispanic Republicans: Marco Rubio, the junior Senator from Florida; Susana Martinez, the Governor of New Mexico; and Brian Sandoval, the Governor of Nevada.

If Democrats want to woo this growing constituency, they’re going to need more of them on a ballot.  Losing the few candidates they have and shunning the others is a short-sited strategy.

Follow Alicia on Twitter: @AliciaMenendez

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One Response to With Sanchez Out, Democrats Have a Latino Dilemma

1. Pingback: Texas Senate Race Update for December 22, 2011 « Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog