David Stringer, a Republican lawmaker in Arizona running for re-election, made racist comments about immigration, warning his Republican constituents that children of color will overtake schools, and the country, leaving little room for white children.
During a talk at the Yavapai County Republican Men’s Forum on Monday, Stringer told the group that “immigration is politically destabilizing.”
David Schapira, a Democratic candidate for superintendent of public instruction, posted a clip of Stringer’s comments on Twitter.
“Sixty percent of public school children in the state of Arizona today are minorities,” Stringer said.
“That complicates racial integration because there aren’t enough white kids to go around. And when you look at that 60 percent number for public school students, just carry that forward 10 years, 15 years.
“It’s going to change the demographic voting base of this state. And that’s what’s going on around the country.
“Immigration is politically destabilizing. President Trump has talked about this. I’m very concerned about this. Immigration today represents an existential threat to the United States.
“If we don’t do something about immigration very, very soon, the demographics of our country will be irrevocably changed and we will be a very different country. It will not be the country you were born into.”
An AZ legislator made these overtly racist comments about our students. It’s time to remove xenophobic radicals from elected office this November! We deserve leaders who understand we’re a nation of immigrants who bring a diversity of experiences & ideas. https://t.co/P5I9QpUHDI pic.twitter.com/NSrJS2WZA3
— David Schapira (@dschapira) June 13, 2018
In a statement on Wednesday, House Minority Leader Rebecca Rios (D-Phoenix) slammed Stringer’s comments, calling them “yet another source of national embarrassment for our state.”
“We work side by side with Rep. Stringer and our Republican colleagues and want to think the best of them,” Rios said. “But when will they stand up to divisive rhetoric like this that echoes fervent racists and white nationalists like David Duke”
Stringer seeks to retain his seat in the Arizona House in Legislative District 1, a Republican stronghold that includes Prescott, Carefree, Cave Creek and Anthem.
The Arizona Advocacy Network tweeted on Wednesday that Stringer’s comments reflect the voting rights restrictions that exist in the state:
“A legislator who fears children of color in schools also fears voters of color in polling booths and leaders of color in elected office. That fear is what drives so many of the voting rights restrictions we see in Arizona.”
An editorial published by The Arizona Republic states that Arizona is routinely violating the National Voter Registration Act and denying people the right to vote in the process.
“When state agencies fail to follow voting rights laws, it has a discriminatory effect on low-income people and people of color,” the
newspaper states. “In 2016, only 58 percent of Arizona citizens earning an annual income of less than $30,000 were registered to vote, while 76 percent of those earning $60,000 or more were registered.”
