Si Si GOP Say California Hispanics

Rush Limbaugh, whose radio career might soon join the Marxism that he so despises in the dustbin of history, has rallied the Republican base and killed many an effort at immigration reform on grounds that it will do the GOP no good with Hispanics. Hispanics are born Keynesians and welfare queens in his manner of thinking. So the GOP can't counter the liberal "Santa with amnesty" he has groused. This, I have argued here and here, represents a complete failure of imagination. The 16th District senate race in California just furnished proof of that by electing Republican Andy Vidak  two days ago.

Reports the Human Events, no friend of illegals:

California Democrats had written off the GOP as nearly extinct after winning a super-majority in the state legislature last November, but their swagger may have been shattered last night as Republican Andy Vidak is reportedly ahead in a senate district that is composed heavily of Democrats and left-leaning Hispanics.

Vidak's opponent in the 16th district senate race, Leticia Perez, a young Latina who worked as a public defender, campaigned heavily on raising the minimum wage and on promoting a new high-speed rail, which she called "the biggest jobs plan in California history."

Vidak is a white, third generation farmer whose campaign drew on the stark divide between "the coastal liberal elites versus the Valley folks." His focus was on job creation, the wastefulness of big government projects like the bullet train, and creating a pathway to citizenship. "We're getting left behind here," Vidak said. "We don't have clean drinking water in some areas of our district, and they want to build an $80 billion bullet train!"

One Hispanic interviewed credits Vidak's success with his "open position" on the pathway to citizenship. "The Republican Party has a lot to learn from him on taking a stance on the importance of immigration reform," Mr. Rodriguez told the Times. "Hispanics are traditionally Catholic and conservative, and that goes hand in hand with the Republican Party. There is no reason why there shouldn't be more Hispanic Republicans."

With Vidak's victory, and with two more senate seats, California Republicans will be able to reclaim their veto on tax hikes.

Wakey, wakey John Boehner!

H/T Cato's Alex Nowrasteh