Hispanic Evangelicals Could Determine GOP Presidential Nominee by Rev Samuel Rodriguez

Last updated on: February 2, 2015 at 11:17 am by Dr. Carlos Campo

Hispanic Evangelicals Could Determine GOP Presidential Nominee by Rev Samuel Rodriguez 2015-02-02T11:17:57-07:00 Dr. Carlos Campo

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The next presidential election cycle, which already is beginning to take shape, will be a decisive moment for voters to reaffirm our country’s devotion to the Biblical values that make the United States strong. The Hispanic faith community particularly has made clear it will support leaders who share their commitment to reforms that align with the Word of God and respect the dignity of all His people.

To be sure, Latinos will play a decisive role in the next election. A recent Pew Research study found “the impact of the Latino vote is expected to be more significant” even than in the past two elections. And while Hispanic evangelicals traditionally support social conservatives, polling indicates they are willing to depart from party orthodoxy to support candidates who share their beliefs, especially on immigration and education.

Nearly nine in 10 Hispanic voters supported President Obama’s use of executive action late last year to protect undocumented workers from deportation. Fifty-seven percent of registered Hispanic voters call education an “extremely important” issue, putting it ahead of the economy and healthcare. Considering Hispanic populations have grown by an average of 77 percent in nine presidential battleground states since 2000, both Republicans and Democrats would be wise to make these issues their own.

As a pastor, I’ve witnessed the suffering of those living in the shadows of our immigration system. I’ve counseled families torn apart by the legal status of a loved one. Our system begets broken families, poverty and a dependence on government that often gets passed from one generation to the next. We can and must do a better job of putting an end to the cycle by establishing a path for undocumented immigrants to earn U.S. citizenship without amnesty.

Such a process should require individuals who are in the United States illegally to pay back taxes, pass background checks and demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of U.S. civics. Just as importantly, it must respect the dignity of these people, most of whom come to America not out of any kind of malevolence, but to pursue a better life for themselves and their loved ones.

Stopgap efforts to address the realities of immigration have served as a tourniquet. Our next president must work with Congress to enact permanent solutions. Fortunately, whoever holds the country’s highest office next will have the public’s support to pursue sensible policy. A poll last year of likely conservative voters by the National Hispanic Conservative Leadership Conference (NHCLC) found 70 percent of respondents support immigration reform that provides a route for undocumented immigrants to earn legal status.

Likewise, leaders must continue to champion high education standards, greater academic accountability and school choice. Over the past year, efforts to implement high, comparable academic standards have drawn a great deal of scrutiny. I’m often baffled by criticisms that focus largely on political dogma and little on the value of setting rigorous expectations for our children.

As I’ve written before, as Christians we are called to confront America’s education crisis with both conviction and compassion. A quality education is one of the greatest tools to enable individuals to create opportunity for themselves. Young people with a fundamental understanding of core knowledge are more likely to hold good jobs, invest back in their community, and stay out of trouble with the law. Sadly, for too long we have let the bar gradually slip, especially for low-income and minority students, quietly ignoring our duty of lifting up the low.

Non-federal, comparable standards ensure at each grade level children will develop the skills and knowledge to graduate from high school prepared for college-level work or a competitive job. That’s important for Hispanic students, only about half of whom complete high school on time, if at all. More than 58 percent of Latinos entering a two year college require remediation, and statistically just one in 10 community college students in remediation will graduate within three years. For most, the result is debt with little to show for it.

We have a responsibility to hold all young people to rigorous academic expectations – regardless of race or where they grow up. Failing to do so ignores the worth of every child and effectively systematizes the notion some students just aren’t “smart enough” – which reinforces cycles of poverty and inequality. That is something no child should ever be subjected to.

Fortunately, many likely presidential candidates have shown the courage not to back away from their support for high standards. Governors Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich and Chris Christie are among those who have stood by their call for rigorous classroom expectations, and they will likely be rewarded by voters for doing so. Polling finds more than two-thirds of voters favor high education standards. Among minority families, support is even stronger.

As the representative of 40,000 churches across the country, I encourage leaders to continue to make high education standards and fair immigration policy a priority over the next 22 months. The upcoming election will be a decisive time for our country, and the Hispanic faith community will be listening closely to where candidates stand.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez is president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the largest Hispanic Christian organization. NHCLC / CONELA serves as a representative voice for the more than 100 million Hispanic Evangelicals assembled in over 40,000 U.S churches and another 500,000 congregations spread throughout the Spanish-speaking diaspora. For additional information, visit Latinoevangelicals.com

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