Showing posts with label Mel Martinez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mel Martinez. Show all posts

Monday, August 10, 2009

Not Much Fear Of Hispanic Backlash On Sotomayor

According to the '08 exit polls, Hispanics made up 9% of the nat'l electorate. In states represented by GOPers whose '08 electorate was more than 9% Hispanic -- AZ (16%), FL (14%), NV (15%) and TX (20%) -- only one out of six sens. (the retiring [Mel] Martínez) voted for Sotomayor. Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), Senate Min. Whip Jon Kyl, NRSC Chair John Cornyn, Hutchison and McCain all voted against.

Source: http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2009/08/parsing_the_gop.php

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Sotomayor Confirmed 68-31

Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe (both Maine), Lindsay Graham (SC), George Voinovich (OH), Mel Martinez (FL), Dick Lugar (IN), Kit Bond (MO), Judd Gregg (NH), and Lamar Alexander (TN) joined a unified Democratic congress in confirming the first Hispanic and third female Supreme Court Justice.

As was the common reaction after Barack Obama's win in November: a great day for equality in America, a bad day for the law.

Interesting note: no Republican up for re-election in 2010 voted for Mrs. Sotomayor. Which seems to imply that there is not much fear of a hispanic backlash (though this post from yesterday shows that racial politics are still alive and well in America.)