Republicans risk becoming a 'minority party,' former chairman says.

[pampango]

The GOP risks being “relegated to being a minority party” for years if it fails to “find a way to make that connection” with Latino voters, former Republican national chairman Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida warned Wednesday. Speaking along with Martinez at a forum on Republicans and Latinos, sponsored by ABC News, Univision and the National Journal, Republican consultant Ana Navarro offered an even blunter assessment of the party’s current standing.

“Where his numbers are right now, we should be pressing the panic button,” she said, referring to Mitt Romney’s level of Latino support.

The issue of how to reach out to the fast-growing Latino population has become a key dividing line among Republicans. The party relies heavily on a base of support among white voters in their 60s and older, many of whom are uneasy about the rapid demographic changes the nation is undergoing. Opposition to illegal immigration, in particular, is a fervently held position among many Republican voters, and Romney won the nomination in part by taking a harder line on that issue than some of his rivals, especially Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

The party had a “huge missed opportunity” to resolve its tensions in 2007, when Republican opposition forced President George W. Bush to scrap his effort to push a comprehensive immigration reform bill, said Martinez, who was secretary of Housing and Urban Development in Bush’s Cabinet and then served one term in the Senate. He was chairman of the party in 2006 and 2007.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-republican-minority-party-20120829,0,3047039.story

Looks like some republican heavyweights are getting nervous with their party's uber-reliance on white voters to the exclusion of all others. republicans in congress did not just defeat comprehensive immigration reform in 2007. They have blocked it continuously since then as well.

[uponit7771]

1. In a way I can see them fighting for their lives and things getting nastier

[randome]

2. And fighting for the REST of their lives, as well.

It's going to be hard to put the Tea Party back in the bottle. That particular genie has become their worst nightmare.

[liberal_at_heart]

3. sleazy politicians will always go where the votes are

Being that this is one of the last elections where they can depend entirely on the white vote we will see them change their attitudes in the future. I would even go so far as to say if they start losing enough elections they will change their platforms and policies. There is only one thing a Republican loves more than his so called values and that is power. Once the white people can no longer get them elected they will turn on them.

[atreides1]

4. We can only hope.

[regnaD kciN]

5. Nah, the Repugs won't become a minority party...

...because they would never let minorities in!

[Javaman]

6. I see them splitting into 3 groups...

the republicans (you figure out what that means, I can't), the ultra right wing "true" republicans (as they will probably bill themselves) and the ultra crazy ass nut jobs so far out on the fringe they have to employ NASA to phone in their party message.

As to who is what? that's anyones guess.