ALFREDO ORTIZ: Keep Rubio’s Senate Seat In Hispanic Hands

The liberal media and Democrat activist groups are in overdrive trying to dig up enough dirt on President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks to scuttle as many nominations as possible.

But at least one nominee is unlikely to fail: Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of State. Even progressive firebrand Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts admitted that Rubio is “qualified” and has the right experience. California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, an incoming senator, called Rubio “enormously well-qualified.” And Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania said he’s a “fan.”

Rubio’s likely confirmation means Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will need to appoint a successor to fill his Senate seat.

“Florida deserves a senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nation’s fiscal decline, be animated by conservative principles, and has a proven record of results,” wrote DeSantis, saying he plans to make his choice by early January.

DeSantis’ pick has extra importance given Florida’s emerging role as the center of today’s conservative movement. The Sunshine State’s new senator will immediately vault into a prominent position within the party.

Florida has a deep conservative bench and no shortage of talented prospects responsible for the state’s remarkable Republican transformation.

Yet DeSantis should consider holding the seat for a fellow Hispanic in Rubio’s mold to reflect Florida’s sizeable Latino population and its growing role in Republican electoral success.

Hispanic support propelled Republicans to their election day victories. According to the NBC exit poll, Trump won 46% of the Hispanic vote, a modern-day Republican record and a massive improvement over the 32% he received four years ago.

Trump did even better in Florida, winning this demographic outright. By appointing a Hispanic to replace Rubio, DeSantis can reward these crucial voters. He can help the Republican Party solidify its growing support among Latino voters both nationwide and in the critical swing areas of South Florida.

More broadly, with Hispanics making up 26% of Florida’s population, the state’s elected leaders should reflect this ethnic makeup. Latinos deserve to keep this important seat on political and economic issues at the Senate table.

Several top Florida Hispanic legislators could seamlessly fill the role left by Rubio. They include Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, State Sen. Ileana García and former Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva.

“Let’s welcome the browns into the GOP because the browns have the same values that are entrenched into the Republican Party,” says Florida Republican Rep. Maria Salazar, whose district is on the southeast coast of the state. “The GOP has not really been able to understand that the browns are GOPs in another language.”

In fact, Job Creators Network’s Hispanic Vote Coalition, led by executive director Mary Thomas, spent the year traveling across the country to engage with Hispanic voters and faith leaders, speaking their political language and equipping them with the resources to vote their values this election.

We found a highly receptive audience eager to engage in political issues and sick of being talked down to and taken for granted by Democrats. Such robust engagement with Hispanics is responsible for Republicans’ long overdue political success with this demographic.

To consolidate and build on these Hispanic gains, conservatives need to continue to genuinely engage with and learn from this constituency between election cycles, not just during them. We need a permanent Hispanic engagement infrastructure to make these voters part of our coalition for the long term.

Part of the success of this project is keeping Florida’s Senate seat in Hispanic hands.

Alfredo Ortiz is CEO of Job Creators Network, author of “The Real Race Revolutionaries,” and co-host of the Main Street Matters podcast.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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