Latino Voters Bring Victory to Texas Democrats

Not too long ago, Congressman Henry Bonilla was seen as the Great Hispanic Hope for Republicans – the poster child of George W. Bush’s “compassionate conservatism.” In 1996, Democratic candidate Victor Morales caused a fury when he called Bonilla a “coconut” – brown on the outside and white on the inside. Elected to Congress in 1992 as a disciple of Newt Gingrich, Bonilla played a prominent role at the Republican National Conventions in 1996, 2000 and 2004. He was an early supporter of Bush in 2000, and headed up the presidential campaign’s Latino Outreach effort. He also chaired the American Dream PAC, a political action committee whose mission statement was to give “significant, direct financial assistance to first-rate minority GOP candidates.” In 2004, however, the PAC fell under criticism for diverting most of its money to white Republicans and the Tom DeLay Legal Defense Fund.

In Congress, Bonilla strongly opposed abortion, gun control and gay rights – “culturally conservative” values that Republicans often tout in their effort to win Latino voters. But he also used his seat on the Appropriations Committee to block the Labor Department from enacting ergonomic standards, and was a solid vote for big business. More troubling for his Latino constituents, Bonilla supported the construction of a 700-mile border fence with Mexico (the 23rd Congressional Districts borders the Rio Grande), and he voted for Rep. Jim Sensebrenner’s bill that penalizes employers who hire illegal immigrants. As the Mayor of Eagle Pass – a border town in the 23rd District – explained, “it's kind of hard to support someone who wants to build a fence.”

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