A piñata of Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has been making its way around Santa Fe in the front seat of a Triumph Spitfire convertible. The piñata’s chauffeur is Ignacio Padilla, the treasurer of the Santa Fe County Republican Party.
Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore via cc
Padilla has been driving the look-alike piñata around the plaza and said he has received mostly positive feedback.
“I have only got three thumbs down,” Padilla said in a phone interview. “I would say that’s out of about 1,000 people.”
Padilla, who once served as a city councilor in El Paso, Texas, said while he thinks there is a problem with immigration between Mexico and the United States, he is not happy with Trump’s statements about people migrating from Mexico.
In his announcement of his presidential campaign, Trump said, “When Mexico, meaning the Mexican government, sends its people … They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems to us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
Padilla said he’s “drastically against” issuing driver’s licenses to immigrants without certain documents. Still, he said that Trump went after people when he should have taken on issues.
“The big thing is, if you’re going to run for office run on what you’re going do to run the country,” Padilla said.
Padilla also told New Mexico Political Report he sees Trump’s presidential run as nothing more than the real estate mogul trying to get more attention.
“He knows how to use the media,” Padilla said.
Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Times reported that Trump’s previous comments on immigration may be causing a divide in the national level as well.
Gov. Susana Martinez also weighed in and called Trump’s comments “uncalled for.”
Trump piñatas are also becoming popular in Mexico, according to a report by Time. And such piñatas have also quickly sold out in Los Angeles ahead of an appearance by Trump.
After serving in El Paso as a Democratic city councilor, Padilla moved to Ruidoso then later Santa Fe.
He said he plans on holding an event with the piñata where people can “take a stick to it.”
