Kathleen Matthews, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Maryland, could have a political problem with her husband and his propensity for offensive remarks about Hispanics.
Matthews' husband Chris, an anchor on a low-rated, long-running show for a left-wing cable channel, appears to have a strange fixation on the "Cuban" backgrounds of Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. This could negatively affect his wife's efforts to win over minority votes as she pursues her congressional seat in a blue state.
‘Who is going to watch a debate between the two Cuban guys?" Matthews' husband asked this week. "Who’s going to watch the debate between Rubio, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz? Who cares?"
It's not clear why Matthews' husband felt the need to refer to them as "two Cuban guys."
Matthews' husband also called them "Cuban nationals" in an earlier episode of his program and called into question whether they were actually Hispanics. They are.
"Is [Ted Cruz] trying to insinuate that Marco Rubio, a fellow Spanish surname–I’m not sure the right word is Hispanic for them," he said. "Because they are Cuban nationals or whatever, or come from Cuba. But, uh, is he going to insinuate that he’s still basically for what he calls amnesty?"
He's also attacked their heritage and suggested Rubio and Cruz "treat Obama like he's Castro."
"When these guys talk, when Rubio talks, a Cuban-American, and when Cruz talks, a Cuban-American, I swear they still are fighting the Cold War," he said.
He has also referred, on multiple occasions, to the shoes Rubio and Cruz wear as "Cuban heels." That is the accurate term for the heels on Rubio's boots, but Matthews has used the term as a sort of pejorative.
Matthews' husband has also laughed at a Latina Republican who said she felt at home with the GOP.
Kathleen and Chris have co-hosted a television program before, and it was awkward. It might not be as awkward as her asking Chris to tone town the racial remarks as she tries to build her political career.