Hispanics and Republicans

The growing Hispanic population is a political challenge for Republicans. The San Bernardino County Sun reports:

In California, it hasn't been easy for Republicans to overcome the legacy of Proposition 187, a ballot measure approved by voters in 1994 that cut off public services to illegal immigrants but was overturned by the courts.

Analysts say the harsh rhetoric used to promote the initiative turned off many Latino voters, harming the party's efforts to win their support in future elections.

Robert Rego, chairman of the San Bernardino County Republican Party, said the local GOP was successful at reaching out to Latino voters when Ronald Reagan was president. Since then, however, Republicans have missed opportunities to attract Latinos.

"We know the numbers are going down," Rego said. "We're aware of it. There is a lot of work to do."