The New Latino Vote Under Obama

Nov. 7, 2009 -- Democratic outreach to Latino voters helped Barack Obama win Red States in the 2008 election and deepened a rift between that demographic and the Republican Party.

The 2004 "Viva Bush" Latino outreach campaign did not endure amid conservative voices rallying for border fence proposals and slashing health care choices for illegal immigrants.

These conservative attempts to exploit fear about illegal immigration compromised GOP support of Latinos in 2008, according to Robert List, Republican national committeeman for Nevada. List, who was governor of Nevada from 1979 to 1983, told ScoopDaily that the Republican Party needs to learn a lesson from 2008 about Latinos as a growing voter demographic.

"I think the party needs to rethink their approach to illegal immigration," said List. "However many illegal immigrations there are is almost irrelevant — they're here. The border is what it is. The demographic makeup of these border states is going to continue to shift. Texas, Arizona and New Mexico have historically elected Republicans, but they need to recognize that Latinos are going to be majorities in some cases."

Obama for America saw California as a sure win in 2008, so the Golden State's volunteers were sent to neighboring states like Colorado, New Mexico and especially Nevada. With its votes concentrated in the city, Nevada is a case study in then-Sen. Obama's successful 50 state strategy.

According to Gallup Polling data, the majority of Latinos favored Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. Though following his nomination Obama maintained a majority of Latino support in all Gallup Poll subgroups except with those who identified themselves as Republicans.

Obama for America volunteers continued the Democratic voter registration blitz set in motion in 2004 by groups like ACT (America Coming Together), who aimed to mobilize more voters and thereby avoid the close-call and confusion of the 2000 presidential election. People like James Spencer, a precinct captain at the Las Vegas Democratic Office, committed to politics for the first time.

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