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Rubio Wants GOP To Tone Down Immigration Rhetoric

MIAMI (CBS4) – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio wants his party to tone down its position on immigration.

Fearing that the Republican party's view on immigration reform turns off Hispanic voters, the 40-year old senator from Florida wants the GOP to adopt a pro-legal stance, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.

In a poll last August by Latino Decisions, an overwhelming majority of those surveyed – 72 percent – said they felt Republicans either "didn't care" or were "hostile" to the Latino community.

While his message sends a welcoming note to Hispanic voters, Rubio is trying not to alienate grass-roots conservatives who helped him win the 2010 election. They have been pushing for tighter immigration reforms.

If the party does tone down its immigration rhetoric, experts said it will help them in Latino heavy states like Florida, Virginia, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed to this report.)

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