Texas PAC Funding Ad on Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric in GOP

A political action committee funded by former state Rep. Domingo Garcia, D-Dallas, will begin airing a TV ad Saturday decrying anti-immigrant rhetoric in this year's Republican primaries.

The ad, from Garcia's New American PAC, will air Saturday through Tuesday in the state's four biggest media markets — Houston, Austin, Dallas and San Antonio — according to Garcia, who ran for Congress in 2012.

"It’s a rebuttal to the Republican attack ads coming from various statewide candidates who are using immigrants as political scapegoats," Garcia said. "It’s fearmongering at its worst, and it’s something you would expect maybe in Arizona, but not in Texas, which has a rich history of communities working together."

Garcia said he was particularly concerned about the rhetoric in the Republican primaries for lieutenant governor and agriculture commissioner, though the ad includes appears to single out state Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, who is running for attorney general, by showing footage of an ad in which Branch voices opposition to amnesty.

Illegal immigration has been a hot topic in several Republican primary races this year. Comments by some of the candidates have fueled concern among Republican groups hoping to increase their party's appeal to Hispanic voters.