I was having a cup of Cuban Coffee with – let’s call him “Edwardo”, who is leader of sorts in the Cuban community. Since Alberto Gonzales resigned today we talked a little about that and what I feel is a growing problem that Democrats have with hispanics in power. He surprised me with his response. Though a democrat he told me that they – meaning his compadres – have noticed over the last few years the democrat’s seemingly animosity against hispanics, particularly when they are in office, or even trying to get there. I replied that I thought Democrats have a lock on hispanics.

“That’s changing” he said. I don’t know, it seems they still have a hold that is strong enough but the fact that may in fact begin to change.

First, back in 2003 Democrats killed Miguel Estrada’s nomination to the Appeals Court. There was no other reason except that he was strongly conservative – so they said. Yet their opposition wasn’t only in the political realm. In that same year Democrats opposed a Hispanic media merger between Univision and the Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation

It is well known that in Florida the DNC works hard to keep hispanics only to the local level but will oppose them if they try to reach higher office unless they fit certain “criteria”. Just as they did nationwide – specifically in Colorado – in 2006.

Whatever the view that whites have of Gonzales, he was viewed as a hero among many hispanics, and they are not at all happy that it was basically “New Englanders” like Chuck Schumer and Patrick Leahy who gave him the most grief and generally forced his decision to resign.

Sure some would say that hispanics in Florida are just as angry over Republicans over the immigration fallout, but the fact is that the predominately Cuban and Carribian populations polled during the debate in Florida weren’t for the bill anyway and saw it as an affront to the generally lax immigration status they already have.

In anycase look for this to begin to develop further throughout the hispanic population in Florida going into next year’s election.