Hispanics for Prosperity and McCain

Headquartered in Austin, the Hispanic Alliance for Prosperity Institute was launched in 2004 as part of an effort to boost Latino support for the Republican Party. Originally named the Hispanic Alliance for Progress, HAPI maintained its initials but switched the “P” initial to stand for Prosperity instead of Progress. Its figurehead, chairman, and cofounder is former Cong. Manuel Lujan, a conservative Republican who represented northern New Mexico in Congress for two decades. “Manny” Lujan is the owner of a large insurance company. He served as an anti-environmental and aggressively pro-business interior secretary under George H.W. Bush, who was the honored speaker at HAPI’s kickoff celebration at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City in August 2004. HAPI’s other cofounder was Shiree Sanchez, who is a senior adviser to the John McCain campaign and (along with Manuel Lujan) a member of McCain’s National Hispanic Advisory Board. Ms Sanchez was appointed by George H.W. Bush to serve in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Public Liaison. She is an Austin businesswoman, who is managing partner of Terra Capital Group and a senior advisor to Covalent Capital, a private equity firm focused on Latino investments. She is vice president of government marketing at FTLSolar.com in Austin. Shiree Sanchez’s name does not appear in the latest listing of HAPI’s board member and advisors. HAPI counts on a congressional advisory board including current and former Republican senators and congressional representatives, including: Congressman Joe Barton, TX; Congressman Henry Bonilla, TX; Congressman John Boehner, OH; Senator Richard Burr, NC; Congressman Ken Calvert, TX; Senator Saxby Chambliss, GA; Congressman Tom Cole, OK; Senator John Cornyn, TX; Senator Pete Domenici, NM; Congressman Elton Gallegly, CA; Congressman Louis Gohmert, TX; Congressman Doc Hastings, WA; Congressman Jeb Hensarling, TX; Congressman Darrell Issa, CA; Senator John Kyl, AZ; Congressman Jerry Lewis, CA; Senator Mel Martinez, FL; Congressman Gary Miller, CA; Congressman Michael Oxley, OH; Congressman Steve Pearce, NM; Congressman Pete Sessions, TX; Congresswoman Heather Wilson, NM. As People for the American Way in its RightWing Watch notes, HAPI’s advisory and policy boards “are made up of high-level Republican political operatives with deep ties to Republican administrations (Reagan, Bush I and Bush II). HAPI's boards are composed almost entirely of Republican players, including lobbyists, donors, and political appointees.” Leslie Sanchez, a member of HAPI’s policy board and director of its Leadership program, is prominent HAPI voice in the media. She is the executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, and was Bush’s lead person on Latino education issues. Sanchez directed the first multi-million-dollar Hispanic advertising campaign undertaken by the Republican Party. She is the founder and CEO of Impacto Group LLC, a communications and market research firm. HAPI’s allegiance to the Republican Party was broadcast to the nation during the 2008 Republican Party National Convention, when HAPI cosponsored with the Hispanic Leadership Fund and the Latino Coalition, the Fiesta Americana Concert on Sept. 1, 2008, featuring Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee & Pop Artist Maxine Lausell. According to the event’s promotional statement, “This event…will demonstrate a clear message of support for key issues such as tough but fair immigration reform, free trade in the Americas and prosperity through ownership. The blockbuster event will highlight the McCain/Obama policy differences on these issues.”