Race dividing Utah Hispanics

As one of three Republicans vying for the District 33 House seat, Alex Segura could become the state's only Republican Hispanic lawmaker.

Yet, not only is the Utah Republican Hispanic Assembly not endorsing him, members of the assembly refused to let Segura join their ranks because of his stand against illegal immigration as head of the Utah Minuteman Project.

"I would say I know people who are white who are more Hispanic at heart than Mr. Segura," said Marco Diaz, chairman of the Utah Republican Hispanic Assembly. Diaz said the assembly is looking for candidates who support the Hispanic community, not because of their skin color.

However, Segura says Diaz's rhetoric is just another example of pigeonholing by what he calls the "Hispanic lobby."

"I think it's a disgrace . . . to go and tell a native Utahn of Mexican and Spanish descent that he's not Hispanic," Segura said. "You cannot erase my ethnicity because it does not meet your agenda. It's not going to work."

The rub between Segura and Diaz isn't new, but it is indicative of an increasingly diverse state, where the racial and ethnic minority population grew by an estimated 25 percent between 2000 and 2004.

As Utah's population becomes more diverse, officials within the state's Democratic and Republican parties predict that more minority candidates will follow.

James Evans, chairman of the Salt Lake County Republican Party, says Segura is one of two Republican Hispanics running for the state Legislature. The other is Christine Hansen, who is running against incumbent Democrat Ralph Becker in District 24.

Yet, there's a long way to go before the Legislature reflects the state's increasing diversity.

Minorities comprise about 16 percent of the state's estimated 2.4 million population, according to July 1, 2004, Census population estimates.

While Becker and Evans are aware of only eight racial and ethnic minority candidates for the Legislature, leaders of both parties point to increased participation of minorities within the parties and in candidacy for local seats.

In general, the minority candidates for the Legislature say they're proud of their heritage but hope voters will see them for their qualifications, not their skin color.