Rio Grande Valley republicans presented George P. Bush with an elephant symbolic of the GOP, a book about Harlingen’s 100th anniversary and a Harlingen Cardinals t-shirt, at their headquarters Monday.
He was in the Valley to rally the republican vote.
"You can’t take any vote for granted republican or democrat," Bush said.
George W. Bush's nephew said it's time for Valley voters to go red.
"More than anything else, it's (because of) the values that the party stands for,” Bush said. “Whether it's on questions on life or questions on marriage - as it relates on entrepreneurship - there are over 100,000 small businesses owned by Latinos here in the state of Texas. The republican party is the party that represents small businesses."
Bush also said the republican party is the best choice for faithful Hispanics.
Minority Outreach Director of the Republican Party of Texas David Zapata agrees with bush about the values shared by the party and Hispanics.
Zapata said another common point between Hispanics and the republican party, is that both stand for working hard and seeing the benefits.
"We want to keep as much of the money that we earn for ourselves,” Zapata said. “We want to use the money that we earn with our hard work, for the use of our family (and) for the benefits of our family.”
He adds that in no way does the republican party stand for leaving those who are in need of help stranded without government programs.
"We're talking about reforming programs that need to be reformed to be sustained long term,” Zapata said. “We don’t want to take anyone's help at all. That's something that the other party wants to make sure (they) misinform (voters about)."
Bush addressed a small crowd at the Harlingen location and said change does not and will not happen overnight and said the Bush family is urging Valley voters to get out to the polls.
"Look at the issues, study the candidates get to know the candidates in our republican party ballot,” Bush said. “Give us a shot give, us a look, get to know them and visit us a the victory center (in Harlingen) and get to know who is on the ballot."
Zapata said that in 2004, 49 percent of Hispanics in Texas voted republican, 30 percent in 2008 and are hoping for a strong comeback this year.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT