The Opposition

Republicans are on thin ice if they block Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the last election, Hispanic voters clearly supported Democrats and Barack Obama. Historically, Hispanic voters had gone to Republicans, but 2008 was a game changer. If Republicans do anything to derail the nomination, they'll lose the last remaining Hispanic voters they still claim.

Pew Research had this following the November election:

Hispanics voted for Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden over Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin by a margin of more than two-to-one in the 2008 presidential election, 67% versus 31%, according to an analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center of exit polls from Edison Media Research as published by CNN.¹ The Center's analysis also finds that 9% of the electorate was Latino, as indicated by the national exit poll. This is higher, by one percentage point, than the share in the 2004 national exit poll.²

Nationally, all Latino demographic sub-groups voted for Obama by heavy margins. According to the national exit poll, 64% of Hispanic males and 68% of Hispanic females supported Obama. Latino youth, just as all youth nationwide, supported Obama over McCain by a lopsided margin -- 76% versus 19%.....

Even though Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, Tom Tancreado, and other extremists in the GOP have voiced opposition to Obama's nomination of Judge Sotomayor, we must consider the source. Limbaugh's past remarks show his racist views. Gingrich's background with his House banking scandal and $300,000 fine make him unreliable. Tancreado? We know he is anti-everyone except WASPs.

Here is the info about Gingrich's $300,000 fine (April 18, 1997: Independent):

The Republican Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich, astonished his supporters and opponents alike yesterday with the announcement that he would pay a controversial $300,000 fine with a loan from the Republicans' failed presidential candidate, Bob Dole.

In an unscheduled address to the House yesterday morning, shortly after the payment arrangements had been made public, Mr Gingrich said he had a "moral obligation" to pay the money from personal - as opposed to campaign or other - funds and had "therefore arranged to borrow the money and pay it back".....

....Under the arrangement made public yesterday, the loan is for eight years and granted directly to Mr Gingrich, who will take personal responsibility for its repayment. Interest will be calculated at 10 per cent, 1.5 per cent above the base rate, but no payments will be required until the year 2002, the year by which Mr Gingrich has pledged to surrender the post of Speaker....

Now you know.