The Southwest's New Blue Tide

The coming elections will be a test of many things (whether sanity will prevail over derangement primarily), not the least of which will be the turnout of Latino voters energized to oppose the Rethuglican nominee, neo-fascist hatemonger Donald "Rump" Trump. Rump's bigoted  rhetoric and proposal to build a wall on the border with Mexico has angered the Latino community, and caused panic among Rethugs who had hoped to improve their poor approval numbers among them.

With each election, the Southwest is becoming more contested due to the growing Latino population and the Rethuglicans' hostility to their needs. New Mexico has voted twice for President Obama, as has Colorado and Nevada. Even deeply red Utah is holding its nose over Rump. Now Arizona, which last voted for a Democratic President in 1996, may be on the cusp of going blue, thanks to a surge in Latino registration. Latinos there make up 22% of registered voters, a number that is growing. Turnout by Arizona Latinos in 2012 was over 77%, still under the Anglo figure of 87%. Many Dems are hoping that Rump's nomination will be the "Proposition 187" moment for Arizona, referring to the anti-immigrant initiative by Rethugs in California in 1994 which alienated Latinos and turned California blue, probably irrevocably. In fact, Arizona's S.B. 1070 -- the "papers please" law from 2010 -- clearly started that ball rolling.

In addition to the precarious position of Rump on the ballot in Arizona, their senior (very senior) Senator John "McNasty" McCain is looking vulnerable for the first time in memory, facing a credible challenge in Ann Kirkpatrick (you can contribute here), if he survives his Republican primary, that is.  McNasty has been buffeted by Trumpists for being part of the hated Rethug "establishment," yet has decided to support Rump, who has demeaned him for his capture during the Vietnam War. Looks like the "straight talking Maverick" is being held prisoner somewhere.

No one should count their chickens yet, but the growth of the Latino population may prove to be curtains for the increasingly white supremacist Rethuglican Party in the Southwest and elsewhere.