New Mexico

[RJ]

I'm going to say New Mexico could become a Democratic stronghold similar to Illinois or California, especially if the GOP keeps pushing the Tea Party and its views on imigration.

[RJ]

I'm going to say New Mexico could become a Democratic stronghold similar to Illinois or California, especially if the GOP keeps pushing the Tea Party and its views on imigration.

Agree on the effect of the immigration issue, but LOL on the idea of NM becoming a Democratic stronghold.

Laugh if you will, but I'll bet the GOP said the samr thing about California before 1992.

New Mexican voters can be easily swayed by theatrics and a charismatic candidate.  It will never be a stronghold anything, even if it votes 60% for one party for a decade, there's still a likely chance it's winnable for the other side.

Once again, I point to California. Let's face it---immigration and the tea party are here to stay. That accompanied with the hispanic population going no where but up equates to a real problem for Republicans in this state. I'm not saying it will be a Democratic stronghold but the evidence suggests it.

[RJ]

New Mexico, unlike California, Arizona, or Texas, has a majority native Hispanic population.  Immigrants are not their brothers nor an issue they care deeply about.

It's those same native born hispanics that are so up in arms about Arizona's immigration policies.

[RJ]

It's those same native born hispanics that are so up in arms about Arizona's immigration policies.

Because it has heavy profiling aspects that effect non-Mexican citizens.  New Mexico will vote for a candidate who supports large walls, barbed wire, citizenship to attend public schools, and deportation of all illegals.  They won't vote for one who advocates officers asking for citizenship status on "suspicion" like Arizona.

All I'm saying is that if the GOP hard liners have their way with more legislation not neccessarily identical but similar to Arizona's, even if it's just espoused, it will cause this state to tip drastically. I don't think New Mexico is there yet, but given 4 of the last 5 elections and the state's demographics it leans Democrat and has 4 of its 5 members of Congress from that party. In a California and Illinois both went Republican every presidential year from 1968-1988 but haven't gone that way since and are now a lost cause. I think New Mexico could be heading the same direction.