A growing Hispanic vote still favors GOP

Boston Globe ^ | 3/7/2004 | Dario Moreno

[Kuksool]

It is impossible to understand Florida politics without taking into account the rising political influence of its Hispanic population. Hispanics are the state's largest minority group, comprising 16.8 percent of the total population of 16 million. They are also a sizable portion of the state's voters. Hispanics make up 11 percent of Florida's electorate, a number that has important implications for the 2004 presidential election. When one tries to analyze Florida's Hispanic politics through lenses ground to the prescription of other states, one comes away with a vision that is decidedly out of focus. Things work differently in Florida. Whereas Latinos are overwhelmingly registered as Democrats in other parts of the nation, in Florida, Hispanics are a pivotal faction in the governing Republican coalition. While in other parts of the country Hispanics vote at rates that are a mere fraction of the voter turnout rates of non-Latin whites, Cuban-Americans in South Florida vote at a rate comparable to non-Hispanic whites, and sometime even higher. Even the terms are different: Hispanic is preferred in Florida while Latino is favored in the rest of the country.

[Kuksool]

Ping!

[Brilliant]

That's what the Dems get for blocking Hispanic judicial nominees.

[JRios1968]

This Puerto Rican in Florida is voting for Bush!

[bray]

Sorry BGlob, Hispanics are coming to Republicans in record numbers. They are NOT for abortion, immigration or higher taxes. Nice try though. Notice no documentation to back their statements.

Pray for W and The Truth

[trek]

You sometimes have to feel sorry for the Dims. Say for example they get their wish and Chavez is allowed Cubify Venezuela (god forbid). The result would be a huge influx of angry right wing Venezuelans to Florida making it a Puby lock for a generation.

The athletic hottie with the slingshot posted here will be out to bean Kerry and his cohorts. She will be here to whack the ACLU lawyers next time they come to town to count chads.

[Homer1]

sounds like the pubbies need to emphasize kerry's policy of appeasement of dictators, and his and Tides' communist ties.

They should also be on the right side of the Chavez issue

[Cicero]

Translation: "Hispanics are Democrat property! What in the world is going on in Florida?"

[17th Miss Regt]

I think the transition going on is from 'Hispanics are Dems and we can take them for granted' to 'Hispanics are turning Republican and therefore racist homophobes (horrors)!'.

[Betaille]

Increasingly Republican Hispanics in South Florida... Increasingly Galvanized and Conservative North Florida...
Sounds like this is no longer a swing state.

[agitator]

ping

[raloxk]

I am sure Cubans will be real warm to Kerry and his pro-communist activities of hte early 1970s

[Betaille]

"I am sure Cubans will be real warm to Kerry and his pro-communist activities of hte early 1970s"

Excellent point... Bush campaign can't give Kerry a pass on this. Yes folks... I'm challenging Kerry's patriotism

[Torie]

One oddity is that Nicauraguans (sp), are even more GOP than Cubans in Florida. Haitians are much more GOP than blacks as a whole.

[Fun Bob]

Telegram from Jackboots Janet:

"we are here for your votes"

miserable failure miserable failure miserable failure miserable failure war criminal

[Kuksool]

Haitians are more willing to listen to conservatives because they did not experience slavery and Jim Crow Laws in America.

[Torie]

Well part of it is that the Haitians in Florida are a non-random sample of the Haitian population. Most of the folks who win academic awards in black schools in the Miami area have French names.

[Kuksool]

Like 9-11, we should never forget Elian.

[lainde]

bttt

[Clemenza]

Ping!