Milwaukee – This past week Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that two Wisconsin millionaires are underwriting radio ads aimed at persuading Hispanics and blacks in Milwaukee to vote Republican this fall, however, it appears the Chairman of the Hispanic Caucus does not believe in the effort.
Joe Medina, Chairman of the Hispanic Republican caucus of Wisconsin, instead of supporting the Republican candidate running against Democrat JoCasta Zamarripa in the 8th Assembly, has contributed $40.00 to the JoCasta Zamarripa campaign in order to help get her reelected.
The contribution to the Zamarripa campaign by Medina flys in the face of a major effort being made by Republican financiers who are spending loads of money calling on Hispanic voter to vote for Governor Scott Walker, and other Republican Party candidates.
The advertising campaign was launched by Americas PAC, a conservative organization based in Iowa.
The spokesman for the group, Tom Donelson said Americas PAC hopes to persuade African-American and Latino voters to leave the Democratic Party and support Republican candidates.
According to an article by Daniel Bice of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “The organization’s goal is to get 35% to 40% of Hispanics and 20% of blacks in the Milwaukee area to vote Republican”.
Donelson tells the Journal Sentinel that he estimates “that Americas PAC will drop between $150,000 and $200,000 on the radio spots in Milwaukee through the group’s tax-exempt nonprofit, also known as a 527 group.”
However, this effort and money being spent seems to not be of importance to the GOPs leading Hispanic voice, Joe Medina.
However, there are other Hispanic Repuicans who believe the media outreach is a good thing.
State Rep. Jessie Rodriguez, a Republican said that “these ads make sense to a lot of Latinos. They reinforced the theme that immigrants come to this country, not for handouts, but for jobs, a better education, and the American dream — the very reasons my parents came to this country when I was young.”
There are some in the Hispanic community who are taken back by the news.
“It’s kind of surprising that the Chairman of the Republican Hispanic caucus contributed funds to the JoCasta Zamarripa (Democrat) campaign”, said Vladimir Ramierz.
On Page 4 of 21 of Representative JoCasta Zamarripa’s most recent campaign finance report, the name Medina, Joe appears on the top of the page. He contributed $40.00 to the JoCasta Zamarippa campaign. Joe Medina is Chair of the Hispanic GOP caucus and most likely sits on the GOP executive committee.
Medina or Zamarripa did not respond to request for a statement.
