Democrats may be considered the party of minorities, especially with how much they've taken their votes for granted for decades. Republicans are making gains though, at not just the federal level, but the state level as well. The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), which already has had successful minority outreach programs in place, is also highlighting Republican state legislative candidates who are reaching out to voters in their native languages.
Rey Martinez and Soo Hong are featured in ads from A Strong Georgia, Inc. titled "Freedom," in Spanish and Korean with English subtitles, respectively. "This year, the Republican Party is diverse and our ballots reflect that," the ads begin by reminding viewers. They candidates highlight that they are one of 40 diverse candidates running for the Georgia legislature this year.
The ads also tap into the concerns that various communities have, especially when it comes to the economy, but also what we don't want America to become. "The Democrats have left us behind," the ads warn. "Their radical agenda threatens to turn America into the very places some of our families fought to escape."
There's also a sense of hope communicated though, to close the ads. "But legislative Republicans are holding the line," the candidates reassure, "making sure Georgia is still a land of freedom, opportunity, and hope."
The RSLC has recruited, trained, and elected minority state legislative candidates through its Right Leaders Network, which was first announced in October of last year. Advisory board members include prominent federal office holders, including Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Tim Scott (R-SC), as well as Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA), and Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Young Kim (R-CA), as well as Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador who also served as governor of South Carolina.
More recently, the RSLC as also worked with such minority candidates, with successes in key states as Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas.
"Just as the Republican Party must expand and grow to continue to have success in the states, so do our methods of outreach to voters. Running ads in different languages is a great way to connect with the minority communities that Democrats have taken for granted for far too long and we hope more candidates use this tactic in the future," said RSLC Spokeswoman Stephanie Rivera.