October 21, 2011

Obama courts the Hispanic vote

By Richard McGregor in Washington


The contrast could not be greater. Days after Republicans took part in a televised debate to compete over who would be tougher in dealing with illegal immigrants, Barack Obama is heading to Hollywood for an event billed as the first national Latino fundraiser.

On Monday the president will be hosted by Antonio Banderas at the actor’s house, along with Eva Longoria, another Latino celebrity who emerged from the Desperate Housewives show as a star. At a time when the Democrats’ support among whites has reached all-time lows, the Obama campaign is banking on prominent Hispanics to help get out the vote in his favour in next year’s presidential election.


At the same time, Hispanic support for Republican candidates for the party’s 2012 nomination is waning as they intensify their attacks on illegal immigrants. Hispanics were responsible for more than half of the US’s 27.3m population growth in the decade to 2010, making the community an increasingly powerful force in politics – as long as they register and vote.

Although Mr Obama’s ratings have fallen across the board in line with the stubbornly weak economy, his core support in the Hispanic community remains strong. A poll released this week by Latino Decisions and impreMedia recorded 49 per cent of Hispanics as “certainâ€