LatinaLista — A new tracking poll released today by impreMedia/Latino Decisions highlighted a reality that has so far been ignored by both presidential campaigns — Latinas overwhelmingly favor Obama over Romney.
According to the poll:
Latina voters plan to vote for President Obama by a margin of 74% to 21% for Romney – a 53 point gap. Among Latino men, 61% plan to vote for Obama and 32% for Romney. The September 17 polling data suggest the President continues to solidify his lead among Latinos, and there are no signs of cracks in the Obama coalition among Latino voters.
Why the big point spread?
It boils down to one factor: Latinas see the Democratic Party as the one most likely to come through on women’s issues.
With Romney talking about repealing/replacing the Affordable Care Act, vetoing the DREAM Act, attacking Planned Parenthood, boasting to overturn Roe v. Wade, vilifying Latino immigrants…the reason is not hard to understand why Latinas see Romney as a throwback candidate from an era that delighted in having second-class citizens and making sure they knew their place in society.
What Romney, nor the Republican party, counted on was that since the time when US society treated Latinos, women and other people of color just like that, Latinas got educated and got civically engaged. More Latinas are getting college degrees and voting — and talking to their friends, neighbors and families.
Latinas have evolved into voters with a critical ear that can discern which party really loves women.
Comment(3)
WilliamRiley
Ask any Hispanic immigrant why he or she came to this country, and the likely response you’ll hear is: “for economic opportunities and a chance to earn an honest living.” Like most waves of immigrants, Hispanics have come to America for the economic mobility they lack in their homeland. So what’s America’s secret?Here’s a clue: It has nothing to do with big government, higher taxes, excessive regulations and generous welfare programs. They’re not responsible for America’s economic prosperity and generally favorable upward mobility. Hispanics wouldn’t be immigrating to this country seeking their fortunes if things were going swimmingly in Latin America.Ironically, many Hispanic immigrants and U.S.-born Hispanics are supporting failed economic policies that will likely recreate the very same conditions here in the U.S. that they were looking to escape so desperately from Latin America. What’s more, Hispanic groups and organizations that are supposed to be looking out for their interests are walking lockstep with President Obama and liberal politicians to grow the girth of the federal government, crowding out the free enterprise system that has served our country so well.Under the guise of “fairness,” President Obama is bent on raising taxes on the wealthy to pay for an endless stream of federal goodies and services to the cheering throngs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and other special-interest groups. They think the federal government can create prosperity through increased spending. Unfortunately, this failed approach has failed to reduce a stubbornly high Hispanic unemployment rate and has only added to our burgeoning $15 trillion debt.This reckless spending, without any regard on how the state will pay for everything it’s doling out, is the same failed approach we’re seeing play out all across Latin America, where politicians reward votes with hand-outs. Instead of permanently lifting people out of poverty, citizens grow increasingly dependent on the state. A far better approach is one where the state rewards and doesn’t punish competition, innovation and success — in short, where economic freedom is allowed to flourish.For proof, one need only consider The Heritage Foundation’s and Wall Street Journal annual Index of Economic Freedom, which consistently shows that countries that are more economically free are more likely to reduce poverty. In a ranking measuring close to 200 countries, only one Latin American country finishes in the top 20.And yet, many Hispanics cannot resist the allure of a big government that promises them the world. Unfortunately, President Obama happily peppers his speeches with class warfare rhetoric to boost support for big-government policies.With the Hispanic population poised to continue growing, it would be an awful irony to recreate the very same economic conditions we sought to escape from Latin America. Here’s hoping Hispanics will resist the mirage of happiness found under a big government.Israel Ortega is the Editor of Heritage Libertad, www.libertad.org, The Heritage Foundation’s Spanish language website.
Lespinoza
@WilliamRiley I think that your assumptions that Hispanics “cannot resist the allure of big government that promises the world” really undermines your premise. Not to mention that it is rather condescending. If you want to have an honest discussion of why Hispanics support the democratic party, you simply have to turn your ear to the mouthpieces of the republican party that continuously belittle undocumented people, promote policies such as “no more anchor babies, and show me your paper,” just to name a few. The underlying principle is that there is no respect for Hispanics in the republican party. Hispanics believe in hard work and education. Our parents did not come here to be taken care of by big government. Some came legally some, illegally but the end result is the same, they have seeded with the sweat of their bow seed of opportunity for future generations. We don’t shy away from supporting government taxation, not because we think we can get more but because it has serve the common good including our own. We recognize that without it we could not have attended the private or public university from which we have completed our studies with the hope of upward mobility. We too, believe in competition, innovation and value individual freedom not just in economic matters but in social and religious matters as well. Most importantly we believe that the opportunity should be there for everyone, not just for the rich.
nedhamson
Excellent story and one that should be widely read – I have shared!