Ann Romney says Hispanics ‘mistaken’ to think they’re better off with Obama

TAMPA, Fla. — Ann Romney pitched her husband to the Hispanic community on Wednesday, telling a luncheon crowd that Latinos “are mistaken if they think they’re going to be better off with Barack Obama as their president.”

The wife of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney spoke to the Latino Coalition a day after her well-received speech at the Republican National Convention.

{mosads}In a 10-minute talk, Ann Romney steered clear of hot-button issues like immigration and the DREAM Act, arguing instead that Republican economic policies and their support for strong families and small businesses would benefit Latino Americans.

“The simplest way I can say this: If Mitt Romney wins, America wins,” Romney said.

She argued that coalitions like Latino Americans who have traditionally voted Democratic need to “wake up and say, ‘You better really look at the issues this time. We better really look at your future and figure out who’s going to be the guy who’s going to make it better for you and your children.’ And there is only one answer.”

Romney said the GOP was the party that could help Latinos and immigrant families find economic empowerment and opportunity.

“It is a message that would resonate well if they could just get past some of their biases that have been there from the Democratic machines that have made us look like we don’t care about this community,” she said. “That is not true. We very much care about you and your families and the opportunities that are there for you.”

President Obama won 67 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2008 against Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and polls have shown him running even stronger against Romney. The Romney campaign has told The Hill it’s aiming for 38 percent of the voting bloc.

Republicans this week are showcasing several of their rising Latino stars during the convention, including Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), Gov. Susana Martinez (N.M.) and Brian Sandoval (Nev.).

It was a point of pride in the hotel ballroom Wednesday, as the coalition’s chairman, Hector Barreto, boasted of the higher profile Latinos are taking in the GOP.

“We don’t just have a seat at the table. We are commanding the table,” he told the crowd, drawing applause.

Ann Romney made a point of praising another speaker on Wednesday, Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño (R), although she didn’t realize initially that he was sitting just a few feet in front her as she spoke.

She was introduced on Wednesday by her youngest son, Craig Romney, who opened his remarks in Spanish.

“I have no idea what he’s ever saying when he’s speaking Spanish,” Ann Romney joked later.