The Republican National Committee released a 100-page report Monday on what went wrong in the 2012 election. There was a whole lot to unpack, but the central theme of the assessment, and the issue that threatens to marginalize their party, is the GOP’s dismal support among minorities.
The so-called autopsy recommends shifting the party’s stance on immigration, writing, “…we must embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform. If we do not, our party’s appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only.”
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus also announced a $10 million effort to improve the party’s standing with minorities, including dispatching an army of Republican ambassadors to black, Hispanic and Asian communities.
The Republican Party may be realizing it can not remain relevant if it only appeals to white voters. The Census Bureau estimates the white population will be a minority in America by 2043. The Associated Press notes that whites are already minorities in four states and Washington, DC, and that will increase to 12 states by 2020.
On Monday, Alex Wagner spoke with Robert Gibbs, Nia-Malika Henderson, Katty Kay and Eugene Robinson about the Republican rebranding effort, and the leaders within the Party who are resisting change.
Joshua Chaffee