WOW–and the GOP wonders why it has a problem with Latino and female voters.
Yesterday, we wrote about an amazing act of civil disobedience in Washington state, where more than 30 women were arrested protesting for immigration reform, including the wife of the Seattle mayor. They had occupied the state GOP headquarters and refused to leave.
Former state GOP Chairman Kirby Wilbur, a former conservative talk-radio host who left his post as the chair in July, did not have a positive reaction to the demonstration. As he tweeted (h/t Seattle Times):
iI missed all the fun at State HQ today as the left wing witches and hags protested and got arrested. They look so old and ugly…#wagop
— Kirby Wilbur (@KirbyWilbur) November 8, 2013
According to the Times, when later asked if he thought his tweet was appropriate, Wilbur emailed “Yup.”
Comments like Wilbur’s–frequently made by Rep. Steve King and other conservative extremists–are constant reminders to Latino, immigrant, minority, and moderate voters of the GOP’s perceived bias against them. It’s part of the reason why Ken Cuccinelli just lost an election in Virginia, and why Republicans at large in 2014 will be in big trouble if they don’t take positive action and pass immigration reform.
As Rich Stolz, chief executive officer of OneAmerica Votes, which participated in the rally yesterday said:
Wilbur’s statement reflects how out-of-touch the former GOP chair is with the struggles that women and families are enduring under a broken immigration system while his party sits on the sidelines and makes snide remarks. We all know that support for the Republican Party from women, immigrants, and communities of color is crumbling. Hurling insults at us while standing in the way of progress on vital issues both in Congress and here in Washington State won’t do the party any favors.
