Thursday, October 3, 2024

George W. Bush’s Positive Impact on the Latino Trajectory

Former President George W. Bush’s legacy suggests he is favored much more by Latinos than any other Republican candidate in the U.S. particularly for his work on immigration.

“Republicans would do very well to try to emulate President Bush’s stance toward immigrants,” says Carlos Gutierrez, former Secretary of Labor.

A look back to Bush’s legacy comes with the official opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Center last Thursday.

In the 2004 election, Bush won a record breaking 44 of the Latino vote, a move no Republican candidate has since topped. His continued support for the Latino community is one of the highlights of his two terms in office.

Rosario Marin, former United States Treasurer, emphasized Bush’s comfort with Latinos, stating that he was tangible in his everyday interactions — from his use of Spanish in conversation to his body language. She believes Bush laid the foundation for the immigration debate that unfolded after the 2012 presidential election.

“Bush worked very hard to give us immigration reform,” Marin says. “He was so concerned with small businesses and he really recognized the entrepreneurial spirit of the [Latino] community.

 

NBC Latino