Hispanic Help No Sure Thing for Richardson

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson brings his presidential campaign to South Florida but finds that support from fellow Hispanics is not universal

 

WASHINGTON (By Lesley Clark, Miami Herald) February 24, 2007 — Although he says he is not seeking the presidency as the ''Hispanic candidate,'' New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is proving a rock star among the Spanish-language press, and Democrats hope that his presence among presidential contenders will fire up Hispanic voters.

Still, his popularity is not translating into unified support among prominent Hispanic Democrats, many of whom have signed on with Sen. Hillary Clinton, despite voicing pride in Richardson's candidacy.

Observers say the two-term governor has an impressive résumé — a globe-trotting diplomatic troubleshooter and former seven-term member of Congress who served as a Clinton-era energy secretary. He has personality and garrulousness to spare.

But sheer political calculation and loyalty to Clinton and her husband are trumping ethnic ties, as Hispanic Democrats such as longtime former National Council of La Raza leader Raul Yzaguirre and 2004 Kerry campaign co-chairman José Villarreal sign up with the New York senator.

''A lot of people are thrilled with the historic significance for Gov. Richardson,'' said Villarreal, a San Antonio lawyer who was deputy campaign manager for Bill Clinton in 1992. "But for a lot of us, our political identity is wrapped around the Clinton experience.''

The situation mirrors that of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who is competing with Clinton for support among black Democrats. An ABC News/Washington Post poll last month showed her with a 26-point advantage over Obama among black voters, and this week she picked up the backing of Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, who said he didn't hesitate to endorse Clinton, "a personal friend.''

''There's no way you can look at her candidacy without looking at her husband's, and he had a proven track record in both communities,'' noted Shawnta Walcott of the polling firm Ariel & Ethan, which specializes in polling ethnic groups.

Richardson, who makes his official debut in Hispanic-rich Florida today, faces similar territory in South Florida. Clinton has hired Sergio Bendixen, an influential Miami pollster who worked in 2004 for the New Democrat Network, an independent group that ran a Hispanic voter outreach effort. And she has tapped prominent local Hispanic donors: developers Jorge Perez and Miami builder Paul Cejas and his wife, Trudy, who contributed to her Senate campaign.

AN UNDERDOG

Richardson, 59, whose father was white and mother is Mexican, readily acknowledges his underdog status. But the first primary, he notes, is still more than 10 months away.

''Stay loose,'' he said to activists at the Democratic National Committee's recent winter meeting in Washington. "We've got a year to go.''

In a telephone interview with The Miami Herald, Richardson said he is comfortable with his campaign's pace. He is raising money locally — capping a week in which he raised $2 million at a single fundraiser for a campaign that is expected to cost hundreds of millions.

Tonight, Richardson headlines Broward County's Jefferson Jackson dinner, where he'll have the opportunity to speak before 700 party activists and donors — many of whom have yet to commit to a candidate.

''Obviously, the big rock stars are gobbling the attention, but we've really gained momentum in recent weeks,'' Richardson said. "Going head-to-head with the other candidates, what is increasingly evident is I've got the best background, the best tools for the job. What I need to do is get around the country and share that.''

'SECOND CHOICE'

Richardson said he is not worried that high-profile Hispanics are aligning with Clinton, noting that he visited with Perez, who told him that he was easily his "second choice.''

''That's fine with me,'' Richardson said. "My objective is not to create a list of big-name endorsements. My message is I'm a governor who is prepared to be president.

"I'm not running as a Hispanic candidate. Hispanic voters should not vote for me just because I'm Hispanic; they should vote for me because of my record of getting things done.''

He leaves it to others — recently, several Spanish-language reporters who cover the Spanish-fluent governor as closely as any first-tier candidate — to suggest that his status as a potential Hispanic history-maker has been overshadowed by the media fascination with Clinton and Obama.

''It just shows the U.S. is a leadership country,'' Richardson said of the possibility of a first female, black or Hispanic president. "I'm proud three minority candidates are serious contenders.''

THE SECOND TIER

Richardson earned raves for his speech at the Democratic National Committee meeting, and his performance this week at the Democrats' first candidate forum had some suggesting that he is well positioned to move out of the second tier of candidates should the top contenders stumble.

''He's definitely someone you don't want to discount,'' said José Cancela, who heads a Miami-based Hispanic consulting firm and has yet to commit to a candidate. "The possibility of peaking early is high on people's radar, and Richardson has the résumé and the tentacles down here to respond.''

Richardson on the campaign trail positions himself as the only candidate with executive and international experience. He followed seven terms in Congress with stints as energy secretary, U.N. ambassador and governor. He has tangled with dictators and secured the release of political prisoners in several countries, including Cuba.

As governor, he touts as his achievements increases in teacher salaries and the promotion of renewable energy, including tax credits for using wind, solar and biofuels.

He advocates pulling troops out of Iraq ''by the end of the year,'' but not without convening a regional conference with Iraq's neighbors, including Syria and Iran, to help stabilize the country.

His Cuba platform: He supports increased contact with dissidents on the island, reversing a Bush administration policy that restricts families from visiting the island.

''Raúl Castro has started to make some overtures toward the U.S.'' he said. "Let's challenge him to show his sincerity by releasing Cuban political prisoners.''