Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes — the first Hispanic to be elected statewide in the Beehive State — says the Latino community does not respect the Republican Party and more outreach is needed to change that.
"It's important for the Republican Party to outreach and to make sure that the Republican brand is appreciated by these communities," Reyes told "The Steve Malzberg Show" Thursday on
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"Without them, particularly the Hispanic community with its exponential growth, the Republican Party is going to have a hard time nationally and on a presidential level having success.
"I have been out trying to make sure the Latino community understands that the Republican Party and its values and principles — God-fearing, hardworking, family oriented — are really the principles that most reflect the Latino community."
But part of the problem, Reyes said, is that Hispanics don't have "a tremendous amount of trust right now" for the Republican Party.
"So before we can convince them that our values align, we have to get out and work in the community and it'll take a lot of effort making sure that we're out there showing ourselves and serving that community," he said.
Reyes quoted President Ronald Reagan, who he says had it right on the GOP's relationship with Latinos.
"He said most Latinos are Republicans, they just don't realize it yet and that's really incumbent on us as a party to make sure that we communicate that message," Reyes said.
"That we are the party with similar values, we are the party of free market, we are the party of family and all of the values that the Latino, the Hispanic community, really holds dear to them."
Last year, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert named Reyes to replace John Swallow, who has been hit with public corruption charges. Last week, Reyes was elected to fill the remaining two years on Swallow's term and will face election again in 2016.
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