Update, June 14: After the publication of this story, Governor Doug Ducey, Arizona Republican Party Chairman Jonathan Lines, and Arizona Chamber of Commerce CEO Glenn Hamer released statements calling on Representative David Stringer to resign, calling his comments unacceptable. In a post on his official Facebook page, Stringer declined to apologize, saying instead that his remarks had been taken out of context by political opponents. "I am not afraid of conservative bigwigs and I'm not afraid of liberal bullies either," he wrote.
Arizona Representative David Stringer, speaking at the Yavapai County Republican Men's Forum on Monday, called immigration an "existential threat" to the United States, warning that it will change the face of the country.
"If we don't do something about immigration very, very soon, the demographics of our country will be irrevocably changed and we will be a very different country," he said.
Stringer, a Republican from Prescott, also told the group that "there aren't enough white kids to go around" in Arizona public schools, which will be reflected in the voter base in 10 to 15 years.
Stringer's remarks at the June 11 event started getting attention after David Schapira, a Democratic candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, posted a video on Facebook and Twitter.
David Schapira @dschapira
An AZ legislator made these overtly racist comments about our students. It's time to remove xenophobic radicals from elected office this November! We deserve leaders who understand we're a nation of immigrants who bring a diversity of experiences & ideas. http://DavidforAZ.com .
SHOW ME HOW
Schapira said that he'd found the video on Stringer's own Facebook page. It's since been deleted, but another video from the same forum that features Stringer talking about legalizing marijuana is still up.
Here's the full text of Stringer's remarks, as captured in the clip that Schapira posted:
60 percent of public school children in the state of Arizona today are minorities. That complicates racial integration because there aren't enough white kids to go around. And when you look at that 60 percent number for public school students, just carry that forward 10 or 15 years. It's going to change the demographic voting base of this state. And that's what's going on around the country. Immigration is politically destabilizing. President Trump has talked about this. Immigration today represents an existential threat to the United States. If we don't do something about immigration very, very soon, the demographics of our country will be irrevocably changed and we will be a very different country. It will not be the country you were born into.
Stringer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.