Comment on the Election

Posted by Jeremy McKinney on 6 November 2008 | 2 Comments

Tags: election, immigration

On Tuesday, Barack Obama won a stunning victory by changing the electoral map as we have known it in the past 20 years or so. He did so in part by tapping into the ever-growing Latino vote. Obama won Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado as a direct result of Latino voters. He would likely have not carried these states without them. Experts estimate that Latinos represented a whopping 10% of the vote on Tuesday. Almost half of this voting block speak primarily Spanish. Many, if not most, are first or second generation immigrants.

Ironically, Sen. John McCain, historically a friend of immigrants, managed to undo President George W. Bush gains in the Hispanic vote. In 2004, Bush received 44% of the Latino vote, according to exit polls. This support has only decreased since then, as Latino voters continue to reject anti-immigrant legislation and rhetoric stemming primarily from Congressional Republicans. John McCain only received about 32% of the Latino vote on Tuesday.

NDN reported this week: "In Colorado, Obama’s Hispanic support accounted for 12.4% of the electorate, while Obama only won by 7%. In Florida, Obama’s Hispanic support accounted for 7.9% of the electorate, while Obama only won by 2%. In Nevada, Obama’s Hispanic support accounted for 12.4% of the electorate, while Obama only won by 12%. In New Mexico, Obama’s Hispanic support accounted for 28.3% of the electorate, while Obama only won by 15%."

Senator McCain has now become political roadkill, like Pete Wilson, Elizabeth Dole, J.D. Hayworth and Randy Graf. And Latinos were driving the electoral car. Tuesday's results continue to showcase Republican weakness with Latino voters, and the utter stupidity of running on a restrictionist platform. Democrats, like North Carolina's Health Shuler, would be well-served to take notice.

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