Donald Trump May Not as Popular with Latinos as He Thought

Donald Trump and the Republican Party have started to clue in to the fact that calling Mexicans rapists and drug-dealers may not sit well with Latino voters.

When federal judge Gonzalo Curiel made the mistake of doing his job and allowing Trump University and its shady business practices go to trial, he provoked the wrath of Donald Trump, who responded not just by attacking Curiel’s decision but his heritage as well.

“I’m building a wall,” Trump repeated to the Wall Street Journal as he discussed the Trump University case. “It’s an inherent conflict of interest.”

The picture Trump paints would have a federal judge reduced to nothing more than Gonzalo Curiel, child of Mexican immigrants and victim to inescapable bias, unable to perform his job properly or make any impartial decisions due to his background. Unsurprisingly, the Republican Party panicked as Trump continued to chase Latino voters away with his crude statements and stereotypes. Party leaders and donors alike are fretting over Trump’s incendiary comments, which could not only cost them Latino votes in the presidential election but for years to come.

“You own his politics,” Republican strategist Rick Wilson accused GOP leaders. “…every crazy, vile chunk of word vomit that spews from his mouth.”

The potential of losing Latino voters to a modern Barry Goldwater could leave Republicans starved of Latino support for decades to come, causing most Republican elites to urge Trump to drop the incendiary rhetoric he’s used to secure his infamous reputation. House Speaker Paul Ryan and former speaker Newt Gingrich were quick to attempt to distance themselves from Trump (despite both formerly endorsing him) with Gingrich, previously thought to have been vying for a spot on Trump’s ticket, calling this one of Trump’s “worst mistakes.” Not one to be tamed by others, Trump barreled ahead anyway, declaring Sunday that he’d doubt a Muslim judge’s impartiality for the same reasons. Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

Featured Image via Flickr/Gage Skidmore