At a Nevada campaign event with Latino supporters Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Tuesday blasted Republicans for blocking comprehensive immigration reform the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. I dont know how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican OK Reid said. Do I need to say more?
Reids appeal to Latino voters conservatives are saying smacks of racial insensitivity.
Conservatives are pushing back on that remark at a time when immigration reform has become an increasingly divisive issue. It could be a particularly important issue in Nevada where Hispanics make up about 25 percent of the state population and accounted for 15 percent of the electorate in 2008 according to the Review-Journal.
In April Reid promised Hispanic activists that he would deliver comprehensive immigration reform this year the Review-Journal points out and said there would be no excuses for failure. The push for immigration reform has lost steam in Washington however as Republicans who once took a moderate stance on the issue -- such as Sens. Lindsey Graham and John McCain -- have pulled back on their support.
Alfonso Aguilar executive director of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles said Reids comments were condescending.
Hispanic voters dont have a herd mentality he said. They have shown that their vote cannot be taken for granted by any party and that they will support candidates who will defend the principles they believe in -- the sanctity of the family the dignity of the human person hard work and entrepreneurship among others.
Immigration reform was pushed to the forefront of national debate in the spring when Arizona added a law to the books requiring police officers to check the immigration status of suspected illegal immigrants during any lawful stop.
Republicans across the country have expressed support for the measure which polls show is supported by most Americans. A district judge in July put the most controversial aspects of the Arizona immigration law on hold.
Now Republicans are pushing even further to the right on the issue calling for a reconsideration of the 14th Amendment which guarantees citizenship for anyone born in the United States even if their parents are in the country illegally.
Reids Republican opponent Tea Party-backed Sharron Angle has said she agrees that Congress 
needs to become involved in addressing questions about the 14th Amendment the Las Vegas Sun reported.
Angle also opposes the DREAM Act a measure Reid is pushing that would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented students who came to the United States as minors and meet other certain criteria. Angle said amnesty is generally cloaked within those proposals the Sun reports.
Angles deputy campaign manager Jordan Gehrke remarked that Reids most recent comments show that if he is re-elected there will be more insensitive racial comments more gaffes more lame attempts to distract from what he has done to destroy the Nevada economy the Weekly Standard reports.
Gehrke alluded to past comments Reid made that President Obama was a light-skinned African American.
Conservative pundit Michelle Malkin also tied Reids statement about Hispanic voters to his past remarks about the president calling yesterdays statement Reids latest racially/ethnically divisive gaffe.
Update: The Reid campaign issued a statement in response to the criticism saying that the senator enjoys the support of many Hispanic Republicans and appreciates their support. It also clarified Reids remarks.
Sen. Reids contention was simply that he doesnt understand how anyone Hispanic or otherwise would vote for Republican candidates because they oppose saving teachers jobs oppose job-creating tax incentives for small businesses oppose investments in job-creating clean energy projects and oppose the help for struggling unemployed Nevadans to put food on the table and stay in their homes the statement said.
