Bill Brady and the Hispanic vote

Will Hispanic demographic trends doom conservatism?

The East Coast Republican elites have been telling all of us rubes over here in fly-over country that Reaganism is dead. That we have to move to the center to win elections. That demographic trends are turning against us. The burgeoning Hispanic population will only vote for moderates. Really? Then how do they explain this little nugget of information from The Washington Examiner:

Who is Bill Brady? Fifty-five percent of Illinoisans have no idea. And according to a new poll from Public Policy Polling, a plurality still plan to vote for him over their incumbent Democratic governor.

Brady, the Republican nominee, leads Gov. Pat Quinn, D, 43 to 33 percent. Quinn’s unfavorable numbers are double his favorables. To add insult to injury, Brady leads Quinn 37 to 29 percent among Hispanics.

Meanwhile, the Democrats’ Senate candidate, Alexi Giannoulias, is losing, too.

"Brady leads Quinn 37 to 29 percent among Hispanics." That's interesting, Brady must be a moderate Republican, right? The Chicago Tribune analyzes the choices:

Brady, a real estate developer with several other financial interests, represents the keep-government-out-of-my-business conservatism that emanates from his legislative district. He is a staunch fiscal and social conservative who is as opposed to tax increases as he is abortion rights.

Quinn, the longtime Chicago populist who was elevated to the governor's office more than a year ago after the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich, has long attached himself to liberal causes, including universal health care. But Quinn has struggled to accomplish his public policy goals, manage an overwhelming state budget deficit and persuade lawmakers to support his proposals for tax increases.

It would seem that Hispanic voters in Illinois have chosen conservatism over liberalism. But even if some of them don't know who Bill Brady is, they sure know that the Democrat's socialist policies are hurting the economy. Hispanics are hard working people who believe in conservative traditions like faith and family. They are not as ideologically wedded to the Democratic Party as the experts believe.

But wait -- our friends at the Tribune have some sage advice for the conservative candidate. "If general election contests represent a time for candidates to move to the center to secure the votes of independents, Brady may have a farther drive."

My advice to Brady is: don't listen to the mainstream pundits. Conservative principals are universal, any politician who runs on those principals will do well at election time.