Donald Trump might be costing the RNC its Hispanic staff

The RNC is reportedly bleeding Hispanic talent as prospective hires get more and more uncomfortable with the idea of working to elect Donald Trump.

Last week the RNC's Hispanic media director left to work on down ballot races because of her reportedly "increasingly awkward position defending the party and Trump." Then when Mario Lopez, the president of the Hispanic Leadership Fund, was allegedly approached about filling the role, sources told BuzzFeed he didn't see the position as a good fit. The eventual successor, Helen Aguirre-Ferre, is perhaps reluctant as well — as she has spent months criticizing Trump for his comments about Latinos.

However, the RNC denied considering Lopez for the role, saying, "No one even came close to [Aguirre-Ferre's] experience and qualifications." Lopez confirmed having a conversation with the RNC, but refused to add more details about what was discussed.

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Even if Lopez wasn't approached, other Hispanics are also citing Trump as a reason to either turn down RNC roles or leave the ones they currently have. One operative, Joe Culotta, bowed out of doing outreach in Florida for the RNC, saying that Trump is "a ticking timebomb."

Yet another party operative told BuzzFeed anonymously that they are also planning to leave the RNC to work on down-ballot races. "I've always supported conservative principles, but when I look at the things I align with, they do not align with Trump," they said. "We put a lot of time and hard work when it comes to this business. Early mornings, late nights, tough deadlines, stress, we sacrifice a lot — to do this for a person, for a cause I don't believe in, I can't do it."