Our democratic system is fueled by the electoral process. People vote based on what they believe a particular candidate can provide for them. In some elections if specific voter demographics appear to be lopsided in favor of a particular party or candidate, it is often said that voters are issuing a mandate to elected officials. While Republicans and Democrats continue to argue over what the voter mandate – with regards to the tax code – was in the most recent election, it’s hard to argue with a mandate for comprehensive immigration reform put forth rather vehemently by Hispanic voters last Tuesday.

For the second presidential election cycle in a row, President Barack Obama won the Hispanic vote by a double-digit margin. The President won 71 percent of Hispanic voters compared to Mitt Romney’s 27 percent, which is an eight point swing from 2008.

Many political pundits didn’t find it surprising that Obama ended up winning the Hispanic vote. Rather, it was the decisive margin by which he won that was a bit unexpected. Hispanic voters were one of the very few voting blocks to have increased support for President Obama, compared to the 2008 election. This assertion clearly represents the dissatisfaction Hispanic voters are feeling with the lack of legislation being passed pertaining to immigration reform over the past four years.

The vast majority of Hispanics in the United States support the Democratic Party platform on immigration reform that would make it easier for some to acquire visas, allowing them to work in the U.S. This will also make it easier for them and their children to obtain citizenship in the U.S. These voters’ overwhelming support of President Obama tells his party to finally push this plan through Congress and pass it.

The problem with this, however, is a Republican-controlled House of Representatives that has the power to block such legislation, and has done so during the most recent congressional term.

What Republicans in the House have to understand is that Hispanics’ recent vote is as much a mandate for President Obama and the Democrats as it is for them. What that vote has proven is that Hispanics are no longer satisfied with the status quo on our southern border. They have aligned themselves with the Democratic Party in order to advance this reform and it has largely impacted Republicans in the last three federal elections.

If the Republican Party once again continues to stand against the desire of Hispanic voters, it is certain that they will lose much of the rapidly growing and unmistakably monumental Hispanic electorate.

If the Republican Party wants to remain competitive, it must re-evaluate its position on this issue.

The next two years, in the chambers of the House of Representatives, is an excellent place to start.

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