Economy, immigration could boost Hispanic vote for president

With BC-CNS-Hispanic Voters-Box

Photos: 1 | 2 (thumbnails, captions below)

By MIKE MARTINEZ
Cronkite News Service

PHOENIX (Thursday, Sept. 25) _Victor Camacho, an electrician, said he’ll be thinking about the business he’s lost lately when he casts a ballot for president.

“I think it’s important to vote because the economy is bad,” Camacho said as he left a restaurant. “I have definitely felt that my business is hurting.”

Camacho also said organizations including Mi Familia Vota and Immigrants Without Borders have encouraged him to vote based on issues including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s crackdowns on illegal immigrants.

“I definitely think it’s important to vote on laws that would make Hispanics a target for police,” Camacho said.

Both presidential campaigns are eager to woo Hispanics, a group that traditionally hasn’t maximized its impact as a voting bloc. This year, experts and activists say, the struggling economy, immigration policy, the candidates themselves and groups promoting voter registration could make Hispanic voters a more powerful force around Arizona and the nation.

Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, the House minority whip, said immigration policy and Arpaio’s actions are motivating Hispanic voters. But he also said Hispanics will vote for who is best prepared to deal with the economy.

He bases this, in part, on seeing a skyrocketing number of foreclosed homes in his district.

“The same issues that energize and motivate the non-Hispanic community energize and motivate the Hispanic community as well,” Gallardo said.

Gallardo also said that having a minority on the presidential ticket is encouraging all Americans, including Hispanics, to get out and vote.

Hispanics accounted for 1.9 million, or 29.7 percent, of Arizona’s population of 6.3 million in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the Pew Research Center, there are 673,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Arizona.

Fred Solop, a professor of political science at Northern Arizona University, said that Democrats and Republicans are targeting Hispanic voters this year because the Latino vote is split across both parties.

“The Latino population may be leaning more liberally on social programs, but when it come to some of these values questions, such as gay marriage or abortion, they actually look more like conservative voters,” Solop said.

Elias Bermudez, founder and CEO of Immigrants Without Borders, an immigrant-rights group, said the economy will draw more Hispanics to the polls.

“In the past everybody was happy, their bellies were full, so nobody really gave a hoot about participating in the election,” Bermudez said. “Nowadays, everyone is losing their footing because of what is going on with politics. I hope and pray that this time they will come out and vote.”

Carlos Duarte, field director for Mi Familia Vota, said his organization is trying to make sure more Hispanics vote this year. Mi Familia Vota workers are knocking on doors and holding voting parties to educate Hispanics about voting. The group has distributed 120,000 voter registration forms via a Spanish-language newspaper.

“If they don’t come out to the polls, they will continue to be underrepresented and we will continue to not have a voice in the political process,” Duarte said. “This is something that doesn’t just affect the Latino community but the community as a whole because you will have a segment of the population without a voice.”

Political strategist Jaime Molera said political parties are concentrating on picking up the Hispanic vote more than ever, including direct mail and automated phone pitches as well as door-to-door outreach.

Meanwhile, Molera said, Hispanics are more increasingly aware of issues and the ramifications of not voting.

“Hispanics are going to find that bad things are going to happen to them if they don’t get involved,” Molera said.

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PHOTOS:

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CAPTION FOR BC-CNS-HISPANIC VOTERS: Elias Bermudez, founder and director of the Immigrants Without Borders in Phoenix, is shown in April 2008 standing next to a sign seeking registered voters to sign a petition for a candidate wishing to oppose Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Bermudez says the poor economy is among the reasons more Hispanics will vote in this presidential election. (Cronkite News Service Photo/Daniel J. Quigley)

CAPTION FOR BC-CNS-HISPANIC VOTERS: Victor Camacho, an electrician, is pictured in Phoenix on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008. Camacho said he’ll be thinking about his struggling business when he votes in the presidential election. “I think it’s important to vote because the economy is bad,” Camacho said. Both presidential campaigns are eager woo Hispanics, a growing group that traditionally hasn’t marshaled its strength as a voting block. This year, experts say, the struggling economy, immigration policy, the candidates and the actions of groups promoting voter registration could make Hispanic voters a more powerful force around Arizona and the nation. (Cronkite News Service Photo/Michael Martinez)