Does the Hispanic vote matter to Republicans?

Rush Limbaugh makes the argument: Romney would have lost the ’12 election even if he won 70% of the Hispanic vote (something no GOPer has ever done).

He’s made the point before…Romney would have won critical battleground states if 3-4 million registered Republican voters (who stayed home election day) had voted.

While that may be so, who’s to say the stayed-home non-voters weren’t Hispanic?

And if they were white non-Hispanic GOP non-voters, who’s to say how many of them were discouraged by Romney’s message of moderation toward immigration?

A point can be made many could’ve been encouraged by a more inclusive tone.

So, which Republican voters stayed home in 2012? (And, furthermore, could a more inclusive tone have swayed more Independents or Democrats to vote Republican?)

Stating that ‘even a 70% Hispanic vote for Republicans wouldn’t have won Romney the election’ assumes a message swaying that vote fell on deaf ears elsewhere.

Sorry Rush…but you of all people should know these are not zero-sum situations.