Courting the Latino Vote

President Obama and Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney both spoke to the National Association of Latino Elected Officials this past week in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It comes as no surprise that both candidates made an appearance at last week's meeting, given the fact that Latino voters are the fasting growing voting bloc in the United States, and will no doubt have a major influence on the outcome of this year's presidential race. A number of key swing states (Florida, Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona just to name a few) have relatively large Latino populations. Most polls suggest that the President has a commanding lead (nearly 2 to 1) over Governor Romney amongst these voters. If he is to win in November, Mitt Romney will need to make significant inroads with Latino voters between now and then. Governor Romney is well aware that he needs Latino voters on his side in greater numbers, but can he pull it off? One argument that Mr. Romney has made, and will no doubt continue to make is that the President has taken the Latino vote for granted. In other words, since the President won big among Latino voters four years ago, he thinks the same will be true this time around as well. Governor Romney has also tried appealing to Latinos by arguing that the President has done nothing to improve their economic well-being over the last three and a half years. Mr. Romney has also criticized the President for not acting sooner on the immigration issue, saying the President had a Democratic Congress his first two years in office yet was unable to pass comprehensive immigration reform. All of these are valid arguments that Romney can make to try and persuade Latino voters during this year's campaign. However, the President has some arguments to make as well as to why Latino voters should back him again in 2012. Governor Romney has stated that if he were elected, he would veto the Dream Act. President Obama has supported passage of the Dream Act for quite some time now. The Dream Act would provide a path to citizenship for those young illegal immigrants in the United States (through no fault of their own) who have completed high school and are planning on enrolling in college or enlisting in the military. This piece of legislation, if approved by Congress would give tremendous hope to many young people who could become productive members of American society. While support of the Dream Act will no doubt win the President a lot of support among Latinos, it might very well be the President's own background that solidifies that support. Although I can't speak for Latino voters, I would have to assume that many Latinos would have an easier time relating to President Obama rather than Mitt Romney. That ability to relate to voters, and them being able to relate to you as a candidate is one of the most important factors in getting elected. While Latinos will not be the only voting constituency that will decide this year's presidential race, both candidates would be wise to continue courting these voters if one wants to remain at, or the other wants to move in to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.