(Image source: Central Florida News 13)

BY EMILY SPAIN

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Some Republicans are fuming after the latest Republican primary debate in Florida.
Why?
Because of Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich’s discussion on immigration.

The two argued over one of Gingrich’s ads that describes Romney as “anti-immigrant”.  Gingrich withdrew the ad after Republican politicians called it offensive, but stood by it at the debate.

Blitzer: “Is he still the most anti-immigrant candidate?”
Gingrich: “I think of the four of us, yes.”
Romney: “Mr. Speaker, I’m not anti-immigrant.  My father was born in Mexico, my wife’s father was born in Wales. They came to this country. The idea that I’m anti-immigrant is repulsive.”

Republican leaders worry the pair’s banter could push away Latino voters in a state that has the (country’s) third-largest Hispanic population.
Ideas like curbing immigration in Arizona and Texas also have Florida voters looking the other way.
Republican leaders -- like former governor of Florida Jeb Bush -- are calling the frontrunners’ language inexcusable.

He wrote in the Washington Post:
“Like all voters, Hispanics respond to candidates who show respect and understanding for their experiences … we should echo the aspirations of these voters. The American immigrant experience is the most aspirational story ever told ... And on this score, Republicans have a winning message and record as the party of the entrepreneur.”

According to Bush, Hispanic voters represent the “margin of victory” in 15 states that typically decide the next President. Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio is also calling on the GOP candidates to check their rhetoric.

“For those of us who come from the conservative movement, we must admit that there are those among us who have used rhetoric that is harsh and intolerable, inexcusable, and we must admit, myself included, that sometimes we’ve been too slow in condemning that language for what it is.”

So far, Romney is leading the polls in Florida. A writer for the Christian Science Monitor notes Florida’s Latinos lean toward Romney, but explains Gingrich isn’t completely out of the race.

“In a word, it’s Romney’s career in the private sector, which appeals to entrepreneurial-minded Hispanics... But ... it is Gingrich’s emphasis on finding what he calls a ‘humane’ way to deal with illegal immigration – particularly law-abiding people who have been in the country a long time – that leads some of Florida’s Latino Republicans to back the former House speaker.”

Florida voters go to the polls Tuesday for the GOP primary.

Transcript by Newsy.