Latinos could sway presidential race in Colorado like in 2008
With polls showing the presidential race in Colorado is virtually tied between President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, Latino voters there may determine the way Colorado swings.
In the last decade, the state has seen a significant increase in the number of Latinos living there. According to U.S. Census data, the state’s Latino population grew by 41 percent between 2000 and 2010.
They now make up about 21 percent of Colorado’s overall population and 14 percent of the state’s electorate. A significant portion of those Latino voters live in Jefferson County where canvassers have been going door to door in Latino neighborhoods encouraging voters to turn out to the polls on Nov. 6.
“Face-to-face interaction at the door is truly the best way to convince people to go out to vote,” said Jesus Altamirano, who leads a group of canvassers in Jefferson County.
Altamirano told VOXXI most of the Latino voters he and other canvassers have spoken to are “strongly leaning for Obama” over Romney. He said part of the reason is because Romney hasn’t been clear about his policies on issues like education, healthcare and the economy.
“Latino voters are looking for specifics, and so far we see more answers coming from the Obama campaign than from the Romney campaign,” he told VOXXI.
He also said Latinos support a comprehensive immigration reform and that Romney “does not help himself among Latino voters when he touts ‘self-deportation.’”
Obama to carry the Latino vote in Colorado like in 2008
A recent poll, commissioned by Latino Decisions for America’s Voice, shows 74 percent of registered Latino voters in Colorado favor the president while 20 percent support Romney.
Obama’s lead over Romney in Colorado is much wider this year than it was in 2008 when he ran against Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona. That year, he carried the Latino vote in Colorado by 61 percent to 38 percent.
The president’s win in Colorado was significant in 2008 for two reasons. One: Obama became the second Democratic candidate since 1964 to take Colorado. Two: Colorado was one of the six states with large Latino populations that helped the president win.
Now, Altamirano said Latinos in Colorado could again play a critical role in helping Obama win Colorado’s nine electoral votes.
“The Latino community came out in strong support of Obama and Democratic candidates—that is what gave them the win,” he said of the 2008 and 2010 elections. “This year is going to be no different.”
But Romney’s campaign is hoping to change that.
Romney campaign focuses on Latino outreach
Volunteers with the Juntos con Romney (Together with Romney) are going door-to-door, trying to convince Latinos to vote for the Republican candidate.
Their message focuses on how Latinos are one of the groups that have been hardest hit by the suffering economy. They tell Latinos that Romney’s economic plan will get the economy going again and create jobs.
The Republican candidate is also running Spanish-language TV ads to attract Latino voters. One of those ads is titled “No Podemos Más” (We No Longer Can). It stresses the high unemployment rate and poverty Latinos have suffered under Obama’s presidency.
The Obama campaign has also been doing Latino outreach. Volunteers have been canvassing neighborhoods and calling Latino voters to encourage them to vote for the president. The campaign and the president’s supporters have spent millions on Spanish-language TV ads.
And on Wednesday, Obama made his 11th visit to Colorado so far this year.
Read more: http://www.voxxi.com/latinos-presidential-race-in-colorado/#ixzz2ARfzB4bc