Every Republican 2016 Candidate Turns Down Invitation From Latino Conference

WASHINGTON -- When hundreds of Latinos gather next week for a candidate forum at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute conference , they won't hear from any Republicans, though not for a lack of trying on the part of the organizers. 

CHCI spokesman Irving Burbano said the group contacted every presidential campaign except that of GOP candidate Donald Trump about the Oct. 7 candidate session, but only two Democratic candidates are scheduled to attend: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton won't be at that session, but is speaking at the conference the following day.

The nonpartisan, nonprofit Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute hosts a public policy conference in Washington every year with Latino leaders and officials, as well as an appearance from President Barack Obama . Organizers expect more than 1,000 people this year for the conference and more than 500 at the candidate forum specifically.

Candidates often have busy schedules. But at a time when they are competing for Latino votes, very few are seizing the chance to speak to this ready-made audience.

HuffPost reached out to all of the campaigns invited to the session. Spokespeople for GOP candidates Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee cited scheduling conflicts. A spokeswoman for Democratic candidate and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee said he is unable to attend. Other campaigns did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Other Republicans to decline the invitation, according to Burbano, were U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Rand Paul (Ky.) and Ted Cruz (Texas); Govs. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Chris Christie of New Jersey; and former Gov. George Pataki of New York.

Democratic candidate and former U.S. Sen. Jim Webb (Va.) did not respond to the invitation, Burbano said, nor did three Republican candidates: former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. (The group did not contact Larry Lessig, who is also running for president as a Democrat.)

Trump was not invited because of his disrespectful statements about Latinos, not any policy stance, Burbano said. The outspoken businessman will get a chance to talk at another Latino-focused forum the next day, when he appears at a U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce event Oct. 8. 

An immigration-focused forum in Iowa this August was similarly ill-attended by candidates. O'Malley and Chafee were the only candidates  there.

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