Republican presidential hopeful John McCain told a Spanish-language television audience at a debate Sunday that harsh immigration rhetoric voiced by some Republicans has driven Hispanics away from the party.

McCain has stood apart from most of his Republican rivals because he supported changing immigration laws and creating a path for citizenship for illegal immigrants.

“I think some of the rhetoric that many Hispanics hear about illegal immigration makes some of them believe that we are not in favor of or seek the support of Hispanic citizens in this country,” he said after a moderator noted the percentage of the Hispanic vote for the GOP has dropped from President Bush’s 2004 win to last year’s congressional elections.

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