Posted on 07/24/2008 7:16:13 PM PDT by CaspersGh0sts
WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama has picked up support from nearly all the Hispanics who voted for his rival Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries, giving him a nearly 3-1 lead over John McCain, according to a new poll.
Results of the Pew Hispanic Center survey show Obama with 66 percent of the Hispanic vote to McCain's 23 percent.
The results represent a ''sharp reversal'' in Obama's fortunes from the primaries, when he lost the Latino vote to Clinton by nearly 2-1, prompting speculation that Hispanics were leery of voting for a black candidate, said Susan Minushkin, the center's deputy director.
Instead, the survey found that three times as many respondents said being black would help Obama with Latino voters, as opposed to those who said it would hurt. And a slight majority -- 53 percent -- said his race would make no difference to Latino voters.
More than 76 percent of Hispanics who said they voted for Clinton now say they're leaning toward voting for Obama; just 8 percent said they were leaning toward McCain.
The poll by the nonpartisan research organization is based on a telephone survey of 2,015 Hispanics, 892 of whom were registered voters. Interviews were conducted June 9 through July 13. The overall survey has a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points, and the margin of error for registered voters is 4.4 percentage points.
COURTING THE VOTE
The poll comes as both campaigns are making a concerted effort to woo Hispanic voters: McCain has been advertising for six weeks on Spanish-language radio in Florida, along with Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, the four battle ground states with sizable Hispanic populations. And Obama's campaign Wednesday unveiled its first Spanish-language ad in Florida.
Both candidates have appeared before leading Hispanic groups to pledge support for a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. But McCain has faced a steep climb: critics have accused him of softening his stance on his own immigration legislation during the GOP primary, when his support for immigration reform threatened to derail his candidacy as his rivals and parts of the GOP base assailed the effort.
The poll suggests the GOP brand is sinking with Latinos, even as it suggests that immigration is not a driving factor for the Hispanic electorate.
Perhaps most troubling for the GOP: The center says Latino voters since 2006 have moved ''sharply'' into the Democratic column, ``reversing a pro-GOP tide that had been evident among Latinos earlier in the decade.''
''More than half all Latino voters say that Obama is better for Hispanics, '' Minushkin said.
According to the poll, 65 percent of Hispanic registered voters now say they identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, compared with just 26 percent who identify or lean toward the Republicans.
A report by the center says the shift ``appears driven in part by an overall dissatisfaction with the state of the country -- 70 percent of Latino registered voters say the country is going in the wrong direction.''
According to the poll, top issues were education, the cost of living, jobs and healthcare.
IN LINE WITH PAST
The poll shows Obama attracting Hispanic support at about the same level as John Kerry in 2004, and McCain underperforming compared with President Bush, who was pulling 32 percent of the Hispanic vote in a similar Pew poll in July 2004. Bush garnered about 40 percent of the Hispanic vote in the 2004 election, a record for a GOP presidential candidate.
''It's certainly something the campaign needs to recognize and deal with,'' said Miami Republican Rep. David Rivera, a former strategist with the Republican Party of Florida. ``But once they get his message out on his record in Arizona, his support for immigration and free trade, I think the numbers will tighten.''
Permanent Rat majority anyone?
The traditional groups of the Rat coalition are now falling into line to back Osama Obama. It’s probably a comfortable win for him this November.
Exactly. Hispanic support for Republicans is a mirage. While some may be socially conservative, they want their goodies (including perhaps the entire Southwest) and will support anyone who panders to them.
I know lots of Hispanics that wouldn’t vote for the Messiah with a gun to their head, so I call Bravo Sierra on this poll...
let me get this straight:
mccain is going to give them amnesty,
but they’re going to vote for al obama?
That really paid off for Mccain , tossing his base for their amnesty.
Yes, Obama Bin Bama will give em amnesty plus welfare checks.
McCain and his GOP enablers were warned this would happen, but they charged ahead with their insanity. Stupid.
Unlike Juan McCain who joked about picking lettuce for $50 per hour, B. Hussian Obama will raise the minimum wage to $50 so all illegal immigrants can earn a living wage.
obama is gona give them amnesty , and a lot more , hence ...
” It’s probably a comfortable win for him this November. “
It’s in the bag ...landslide .
I hate to sound conspiratorial, but its my thought that the media is pushing these "Obama wins Hispanics" stories over and over again..to push the idea to hispanics that would otherwise not vote for him that its what everybody else is doing..he is the favored candidate for Latino's. Its sick
* The poll by the nonpartisan research organization is based on a telephone survey of 2,015 Hispanics, 892 of whom were registered voters. *
Hmmmm....
I have family in S. Florida that agrees with you 100%! Cubans turned out large for Sen McCain and no way will they go to Obama.
We're doomed!
I put forth that very theory to a FReeper friend a few months go. There will be many here who are so hung up on the Juan McCain thing, that the true peril will be ignored.
The RATS take a veto-proof/filibuster proof lead in the House and Senate; this country will be in mortal danger.
Why would Hispanics side with people who use “Juan” as the ultimate insult?
More than 76 percent of Hispanics who said they voted for Clinton now say they're leaning toward voting for Obama; just 8 percent said they were leaning toward McCain.
So Obama has lost 1/4 of the Hispanics who were voting for Hillary.
BTW, any indication if these are "registered voters" or "likely voters" or "illegal voters" or "fraudulent voters" ??
Cheers!
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