ALBUQUERQUE — Donald J. Trump is unlikely to win the general election unless he improves his dismal standing among Hispanics and women. But his efforts to win over those two crucial constituencies is off to a rocky start.
On Tuesday night, Mr. Trump purposefully attacked Gov. Susana Martinez of New Mexico, who in addition to being the most prominent Hispanic woman in American politics, also happens to be the chairwoman of the Republican Governors Association.
Appearing at a campaign rally in Albuquerque, the largest city in Ms. Martinez’s state, Mr. Trump unleashed a blistering assault on the governor, who skipped the event, by saying she was “not doing the job.”
He faulted her by falsely asserting she was allowing Syrian refugees to settle in the state, and blamed her for Albuquerque’s unemployment numbers as well as the increase in the number of New Mexico residents on food stamps.
“It’s your governor’s fault,” Mr. Trump told thousands of booing supporters. “We have to get your governor and get going. She’s got to do a better job, O.K.? Your governor has got to do a better job.”
The swipes at Ms. Martinez, delivered in two separate instances during his speech, seemed designed to send a message: If the presumptive Republican nominee is attacked, critics can expect Mr. Trump to hit them back far harder.
What is this guy’s problem? Ms. Martinez is highly respected. Trump gets low marks with both women and Latinos. These kinds of unprovoked attacks certainly will harm him politically with these two groups.
Hopefully those who must say they support Trump to stay in good graces with their party will just go behind the curtain on election day and write in Mickey Mouse or some other more deserving candidate.
Meanwhile Trump continues to try to buy his ticket to the White House. I simply will have no respect for any Republican who caves and supports this man. There is just something evil about him.
