By Marisa Trevino, KERA 90.1 commentator.
Dallas, TX – The landslide outcome of Tuesday's Democratic gubernatorial primary between Sanchez and Morales really wasn't that surprising for most of us in the Latino community. Even some political journalists and analysts admitted privately that they could see the writing on the wall in the first few hours after the debates.
What they saw was the Latino constituency, who has gotten used to unrivaled political courtship and undivided flattering attention, being humiliatingly cornered by one of our own - Dan Morales, a Latino who chose to attack the two cornerstones of every Hispanic's cultural pride: language and loyalty.
Even some of my Latino friends whose families have been in Texas for several generations, speak high school Spanish, and can't even claim a living relative south of the border any more were insulted at Morales' accusations that they should not know what language is spoken in Texas. Nor, that, Morales seemed to care that the Latino population is still being impacted by an unacceptable amount of problems, that aren't impacting other Texas populations in the same way.
No, it was very obvious that Texas Latinos were not just offended, but angry. That anger translated in county after Texas county recording Hispanic voter turn out rates that haven't been seen since the 1990 race between Richards and Mattox when 1.5 million Latinos cast their votes. That anger also empowered Latinos with an enthusiasm for the political process not seen or felt in a long time in the Lone Star State. It fostered a newfound realization among Latinos that their vote really does count, and a pride that the political process can work from both ends: along with Latino voters, there can be viable Latino candidates who have a real chance at victory.
Ricardo Casta?on, Texas regional director of the Southwest Voters Registration Education Project, who has devoted his life to educating Latinos about the power of the vote, says Tuesday night's results signify that Texas Latinos finally get the concept that there is strength in numbers. Casta?on says preliminary data shows that the highest number of votes cast overall in the Democratic primary came from the Latino population. He expects Latinos to turn out just as high, if not higher, in November. For the right candidate, the Latino vote is the prize hidden deep inside the pi?ata. But the pi?ata must be broken first.
To break that political pi?ata, there are a few rules:
1. No blindfolds. Politicians must see firsthand, recognize, and empathize with the issues.
2. No quick spins. It's going to take more than a day trip and posing with children wearing sequined and black velvet outfits, eating overstuffed tacos and showing off what can be bought in a thousand-dollar crash course in Spanish to illustrate an understanding of the issues facing Latinos.
3. No wild hits. Sound-bite solutions aren't going to answer the question as for whom the Latino vote should be cast.
One would have thought these rules needed no explanation, but there is already evidence in the governor's race that they are not clear. In response to a reporter's question about Mr. Sanchez's victory speech, Governor Perry said, "I didn't hear one positive thing?from Mr. Sanchez. It's just critical about our children, critical about our teachers, critical about our schools and critical about our parents." I think someone needs help removing his blindfold.
Marisa Trevino is a writer from Rowlett.