Going by the coverage on Telemundo News, Senator Ted Cruz has no Latino supporters, of any age. And as Telemundo tells it in their latest report on the Senate race in Texas, the only reason apparently motivating people to vote is a desire to hand control of Congress to the Democrats.
The report aired as part of Telemundo’s Somos el Futuro (“The Future is US") series through which the Spanish-language sister network of NBC is partnering with an array of Democrat-aligned voter mobilization organizations (including Voto Latino, UnidosUS, Hispanic Federation, and Mi Familia Vota) to “educate and provide the tools to make voter registration easy and accessible for Hispanic audiences.”
In a report that comes across as all but an open GOTV call to vote Democrat, Telemundo correspondent Edgard Muñoz exclusively interviewed Beto O’Rourke supporters (no Republicans) and told viewers “more young people in Texas are registering to vote because they say… they are interested in the renewal of Congress which is controlled by the Republican party.”
EDGARD MUÑOZ, CORRESPONDENT, NOTICIAS TELEMUNDO: More young people in Texas are registering to vote because they say that more than the fight between Governor Greg Abbott, and former County Sheriff Lupe Valdez they are interested in the renewal of Congress which is controlled by the Republican party.
MARISOL FERNÁNDEZ, STUDENT, HOUSTON UNIVERSITY: Problems with DACA, they want to end it, and I know a lot of people, many of my friends are with DACA and I feel they have a chance to be here.
NAYELI FERNÁNDEZ, STUDENT, HOUSTON UNIVERSITY: With everything that’s happening with Kavanaugh, I was even more compelled to vote.
In addition to failing to include any Cruz supporters of any age, much less the reasons Cruz supporters have for supporting the Senator’s re-election, Muñoz also steered clear of the latest polls in the Texas race. The latest Quinnipiac poll, for example, puts Cruz ahead by a 54-45 margin “with a large number of undecideds, perhaps intrigued by the Beto phenomenon, but who nevertheless lean Republican.”
Telemundo also failed to mention that actual voter registration data suggests O'Rourke and Texas Democrats are still a long way from tipping the scales in the state. Different sources put the percentage of registered Latino voters near 20%, and polls show Cruz does have considerable support among the state’s Latino voters, in the 40% range.
Below is the complete transcript of the above-referenced report, as aired during the October 8, 2018 edition of Noticias Telemundo.
JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART, ANCHOR, TELEMUNDO: In these elections, Texas will be the epicenter of significant battles for the Hispanic community. For the first time a Latina seeks to be Governor, but there is much more at stake, so much that more than 15 million and a half people in that state have registered to vote, an all-time high. Edgar Muñoz expands.
EDGARD MUÑOZ, CORRESPONDENT, TELEMUNDO: Polls show them in a virtual tie. The Republican Ted Cruz finds himself stalked by Democrat Beto O´Rourke for a seat in the Senate. And if he loses the state of Texas, considered one of the pillars of conservatives, it would be a serious signal to the White House. Hence, the electoral euphoria.
BOLIVAR FRAGA, SPOKESPERSON, BAKER RIPLEY CENTER: In this case where O´Rourke is a Democrat, he has a real chance to be elected and people see that their vote counts.
MUÑOZ: Texas broke its record of voters with fifteen million six hundred thousand registrations, 500,000 more registrations than the presidential election and one and half million more voters than in the 2014 election. More young people in Texas are registering to vote because they say that more than the fight between Governor Greg Abbott, and former County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, they are interested in the renewal of Congress. which is controlled by the Republican Party.
MARISOL FERNÁNDEZ, STUDENT, HOUSTON UNIVERSITY: Problems with DACA, they want to end it, and I know a lot of people, many of my friends are with DACA and I feel they have a chance to be here.
NAYELI FERNÁNDEZ, STUDENT, HOUSTON UNIVERSITY: With everything that’s happening with Kavanaugh, I was even more compelled to vote.
MUÑOZ: The deadline to register to vote is this Tuesday, October 9, in Texas and other states such as Florida and Arizona, and it seems that the children of Latinos will make a difference.
ANGÉLICA RAZO, MI FAMILIA VOTA (MY FAMILY VOTES): Immigration, they want to know that their families are safe here in the United States.
MUÑOZ: The elections are just around the corner, this November 6. The challenge is to have this increase in the number of voters reflected in votes. In the past, only 33% of Texas voted, and at the national level, a little more than 50%. In Houston, Texas, Edgar Munoz, Noticias Telemundo.
