GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales Says Party's Defeat In Texas 'Should Be An Eye-Opener': 'We All Need To Pick Up The Pace'

Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales said the party's stunning defeat in a special election for state senate should be an "eye-opener to all of us that we all need to pick up the pace."

"The candidate has to do their part, the party has to do their part. And then those of us in the arena, we have to do our part to help them as well," he told Politico when speaking about the 30-point swing that gave Democrat Taylor Rehmet the victory over Leigh Wambsganss in the Fort Worth-area district.

The outlet noted that Rehmet made large gains with Hispanic voters, illustrating the national backlash Republicans are getting over the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and widespread economic concerns across demographics.

Other Republicans across the state and the country have been sounding the alarm as well. Sen. Ted Cruz said the election was a "very concerning outcome" for the party and noted that the swing was so big that Democrats won "by double digits." "That should concern every Republican, and it highlights the urgency of turnout in November."

Others are focusing specifically on the exodus involving Latinos, with Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar recently saying that the must "reverse course" to address the matter.

In a social media publication in late January, Salazar said she "warned about this months ago, before the headlines caught up."

"Today we are watching it unfold in real time. Hispanics are leaving the GOP in large numbers, and pretending otherwise won't fix it. As Republicans, we must reverse course and act now," she added.

A recent poll showed Trump's approval rating among Latinos has plunged 23 points since the beginning of his term. CNN data analyst Harry Enten analyzed the figures in a recent show, saying the collapse happened with a speed he has "rarely" seen before.

"I'll just say there has been a massive backlash against the president of the United States among Latino voters," he added. Elsewhere in the analysis, Enten said the administration's immigration crackdown played a large role in the drop, noting that the demographic was split on Trump's deportation plans at the beginning of the second term, but the number is now at -34 points.

"You rarely ever see a 35-point decline over a year, but it is happening with Trump among Latinos on his deportation program," he noted. "'No, no, no,' is what the Latino community is saying."

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• Ted Cruz Issues Warning To Republicans Over Stunning Defeat In Special Texas Election: 'Very Concerning Outcome'

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