Meg Whitman’s former senior advisor says ugly spats about illegal immigration hobbled her campaign for governor.
Veteran Republican strategist Rob Stutzman told the Los Angeles Times that controversies over illegal immigration alienated Latinos and prompted the former Ebay chief to lose to Jerry Brown by 54 percent to 41 percent.
Latinos represented roughly one in five voters on Nov. 2, and polls suggest they overwhelmingly supported Brown.
Stutzman blamed Republican rhetoric and hothouse radio talk shows for undermining Whitman’s campaign.
"We've got to stop looking at it as purely a legal issue," Stutzman told the LA Times. "If you want to make it a moral issue, we should appreciate the virtue of men and women trying to make the best life possible for their families.”