Rubio Chalks Up Romney’s Struggles With Latinos To Campaign Spending Rules

[highplainsdem]

Source: TPM

Mitt Romney has struggled immensely to win over Latino voters throughout the campaign, something many observers have attributed to hard-line immigration policies embraced by the former Massachusetts governor and a Republican Party viewed by many as hostile to the Latino community. But Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) offered a different explanation during an interview on "CBS This Morning" on Wednesday.

Rubio cited a campaign spending rule that precluded Romney from spending funds until he officially secured the party's nomination as the real reason for President Barack Obama's overwhelming advantage with Latino voters.

"Here's the problem we've had: It's a quirk in the campaign laws," Rubio said. &quot Romney) hasn't been allowed to spend the money. You can't spend it until he's formally nominated. He couldn't spend the money. Now he's going to be able to spend money both in English and Spanish to explain to people how his policies will help the economy, small businesses and have the confidence to invest in the future."

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Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/rubio-chalks-up-romneys-struggles-with-latinos-to

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Poor Mittens, handicapped so far by a lack of money and advertising...

[Xipe Totec]

1. I can hardly wait for Mitt to start spending money on me

Please, please, please, spend all your money trying to convince me to vote for you, Mitt...

I may even let you baptize me posthumously.

[JDPriestly]

2. The Republican philosophy is antithetical to the warm, embracing,

family-oriented way of life of Latinos. At least that is my experience. Republicans are just basically snobby and condescending.

Latinos from Central America don't like that.

The parties and the cohesiveness of Latino families are beautiful. Republicans hate that kind of welcoming, inclusive culture.

Country-Western music with its mournful, self-absorbed lyrics is about as far from the fiesta sounds of the Southwest as anything could be.

If Republicans want to appeal to Latinos, they have to clean up their act. They need to support social programs that leave no one out. They could start with Arizona.