WASHINGTON — Latino leaders are bristling at the largely tepid response by Republican presidential candidates to Donald Trump’s characterization of Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug dealers.
Several 2016 contenders have brushed off Trump’s comments, while others have ignored them. Marco Rubio, a Florida senator who is Latino, denounced them as “not just offensive and inaccurate, but also divisive,” after declining for two weeks to address the matter directly. Another Latino in the race, Ted Cruz, said Trump is “terrific,” “brash” and “speaks the truth.”
It’s an uncomfortable moment for Republicans, who want more votes from the surging Latino population.
And it could be a costly moment if more candidates don’t go beyond their Donald-will-be-Donald response and condemn him directly, said Alfonso Aguilar, a Republican who leads the American Principles Project’s Latino Partnership.
“Sadly, it hurts the party with Hispanic voters,” he said. “It’s a level of idiocy I haven’t seen in a long time.”
• Former Gov. Jeb Bush has said little more about Trump’s comments than that they were “wrong.”
• New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called Trump’s comments “wholly inappropriate.” But in a subsequent radio interview, he said Trump is “a really wonderful guy (who has) always been a good friend.”
• Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry said: “I don’t think Donald Trump’s remarks reflect the Republican Party.”
• Candidates Scott Walker, Mike Huckabee, Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson have been silent.
