She was part of it. But Hispanics never give more than about 30-40% of their vote to Republicans. They are a conservative group, but they feel that it's Republicans that have discriminated against them. That's why Gingrich is modifying his stance on illegal immigration.

Independents? You never know about. Bush was a Republican Presiddnt as the economy was heading downhill. So, independents may have done what so many Americans do and blame a bad economy on the President.