GOP snub of Univision misguided: Column

We won't support you, but we want you to support us.

That's the message the Republican National Committee is sending to the Spanish-language TV network, Univision. The RNC recently announced its schedule of primary presidential debates, which will begin in August. ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, CNBC, Fox, and Fox Business were all selected to air debates. Although Telemundo, the country's second largest Spanish-language network, will be jointly hosting the NBC debate, Univision was shut out of the coverage.

The RNC decision to exclude Univision is misguided. In their desire to avoid facing questions on the issue of immigration, Republicans are choosing to avoid a potentially huge Latino audience. Univision is the country's fifth-largest TV network, reaching 94 million households. Last year Univision tied with CBS and NBC as the most-watched network among the key 18-49 demographic. Its local news broadcasts regularly beat their English-language competition in cities like New York, Houston and Los Angeles. In 2012, the Hollywood Reporterestimated Univision network's share of Spanish-language broadcast viewers at 73% compared with Telemundo's 21% percent audience share.

The GOP's own "autopsy report" — which was produced following their defeat in the 2012 presidential election — called for more engagement with Hispanics and other minorities. The RNC is unwise to leave Univision out of the debates, especially considering that CNN and Fox each received two debates – with the possibility of a third.

"It's highly questionable whether we're treated fairly on Univision," RNC chairman Reince Priebus whined to Buzzfeed News. "You can fight all day long with people, not to say that that wouldn't continue, but at the same time you still have to get your message out."

Priebus is being disingenuous. The GOP's problem is not that Univision covers them unfairly; their problem is that the Univision covers them accurately. Univision is, in fact, helping get the GOP message out, like the recent vote by House Republicans to deport Dreamers. Rather than resorting to the blame game, Priebus ought to push his party to support immigration reform – a top concern of Latino voters.

The idea that Republicans are singled out for unfair treatment by Univision is false. Jorge Ramos, the network's lead anchor, has been highly critical of President Obama over his failure to enact immigration reform and his record level of deportations.

After the president unveiled his executive action on immigration, Ramos wanted to know why it took so long. "You always had the legal authority to stop deportations," he said to Obama, "then why did you deport two million people?" So Univision is not showing favorites with Democrats or Republicans.

True, there were other networks that were not selected for the GOP debates, such as Bloomberg TV and MSNBC. But Bloomberg TV does not have a huge audience, and Republicans are not competing for MSNBC's liberal viewers.

Besides, Univision will be covering immigration and the Republican debates anyway. Why wouldn't the RNC choose to be part of the conversation? As Marcela Garcia pointed out in an op-ed for the Boston Globe, "Univision, along with other Spanish-language outlets, is the perfect place for GOP candidates — some of whom have nuanced and thoughtful approaches to immigration — to make their cases. Hispanics deserve to hear those positions directly from the candidates."

She's right. The GOP is missing an opportunity, and it's their loss. In fact holding a Republican primary debate on Univision would be a chance for the candidates to explain why most of them are so opposed to the Affordable Care Act, which has led to a dramatic drop in the number of uninsured Latinos. Or why they are mostly opposed to raising the minimum wage, which could increase Latinos wages by $8.5 billion. It wouldn't be just about immigration.

If the RNC were serious about Hispanic outreach they would have selected Univision for one of their primary debates. And if Republican candidates are uncomfortable defending their positions before a Hispanic audience, maybe it's time they rethink those positions.

Raul Reyes is an attorney in New York and a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors.

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