GOP group's Spanish radio ads target Dems
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 14, 2006

Yvonne Wingett

Republicans on Thursday disclosed a Spanish-language radio advertising campaign that blames Democrats for thwarting progress on immigration reform.

The 60-second spots will play early next week, a Republican official said, on Univision's KOMR-FM (106.3) and KKMR-FM (106.5), KQMR-FM (100.3) in Phoenix, and Arizona Lotus Corp.'s KCMT-FM (102.1) in Tucson.

They also are scheduled to air in the heavily Hispanic states of New Mexico and Nevada.

The ads are paid for the Republican National Committee and are meant to point out that "Democrats are not serving as honest brokers in the debate. . . . They are manipulating the issue for political benefit," said Danny Diaz, spokesman for the RNC.

The ads, in part, say: "Terrorists coming across our borders. Drugs smuggled to America's shores. But just last week, there was hope. Congress was working on immigration reform . . . to secure our borders and protect American families. But Democrat Leader Harry Reid let us down. Harry Reid played politics and blocked our leaders from working together. Reid's Democrat allies voted to treat millions of hard-working immigrants ... as felons."

Diaz said he "fully expects" Republicans to continue running Spanish-language radio ads in the months leading up to the fall congressional elections.

Valley Democratic strategist Michael Frias said the ads are an attempt to reverse a public-relations beating the Republicans are taking on the issue of illegal immigration.

"Their senator, Senator (Jon) Kyl, got marched on by 20,000 people in a spontaneous protest, and they're trying to figure out a way to provide political cover to him," he said.