GOP's bid to 'forge ties with Hispanics' stumbles with community center closures: report

The Republican National Party's commitment to "building relationships with the Hispanic community" appears to be wavering.

Nearly all of the two dozen RNC Hispanic Community Centers opened around 2022 as a mission to forge ties with Hispanics and win their vote away from the Democrats — long thought to be flat-footed with the population for too long – is hitting the skids.

Only five centers remain open and two of those started operations last year, according to a report in The Messenger.

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"In this case they went big and it sounds like they didn't get the response from the community they intended," Daniel Garza, who serves as the executive director grassroots conservative group with longstanding ties to Latino communities called LIBRE Initiative, told the outlet.

He claimed that there was a small buildup and that sought measured success, noting you "don't want to go big and fail."

The effort, Garza said, was one that was well-intended, but appears to lack the long-term vision and support.

"That's OK, they tried, we appreciate that," he said. "But you have to have people on the inside who can advise you — these are long-term things that need to be backed by resources."

When the centers were cropping up, it was a badge of honor for the RNC.

In Georgia, RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel proclaimed her party was committed to proving they were there for all voters of color.

"This is not us saying, 'We expect your vote, you owe us your vote,' " she said. "This is us saying, 'We want to earn your vote. We want to learn how we can better represent your community, how we can be here long-term.'

Then on Sept. 9, 2022, when elections were fast-approaching, The Messenger reported that McDaniel had reappeared by Senate candidate Blake Masters to praise their outreach efforts.

“This center is part of our party’s commitment to building relationships with the Hispanic community," McDaniel said

The attrition of the centers may also be strategic, as some didn't amount to successes compared to others.

“The RNC's decision to scale back on its Hispanic Community Centers boils down to effectiveness and strategy," said Giancarlo Sopo, a key player in shaping Trump's Hispanic advertising in 2020 told the outlet. "While some centers, like Miami's, succeeded with GOTV and civic education initiatives, others fell short, veering towards activities like movie nights."