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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org
Washington—With the Republican race for the presidential nomination in flux, Florida will once again play a major role in deciding the party’s candidate for president. For the first time in the race thus far, Hispanic voters will be a crucial factor in the upcoming primary, as they were for Senator John McCain in 2008.
“The Hispanic voice has been missing in this election season, but with Florida in play, that voice can no longer be ignored,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR (National Council of La Raza). “So far, the debates among the Republican candidates have been dominated by a troubling one-upmanship on who can be tougher on immigration. If they have any hope of competing for the Latino vote, these candidates not only have to explain themselves on immigration, but address the other key issues faced by our community such as job creation and the housing crisis.”
Latinos make up 16 percent of the country’s population, and 22 percent of Floridians are Hispanic. Nationally, 74 percent of Latinos are U.S. citizens, and at least 500,000 Latino youth turn 18 every year. In 2008, 9.7 million Latinos voted and that number is likely to increase by at least two million in 2012, making the Hispanic vote essential to winning the presidency.
“Meaningful outreach and positions matter to Latino voters,” stated Murguía. “This week in Florida, candidates have a chance to address Latinos directly in the Univision and NBC/Telemundo debates, and Latino voters across the country will be watching. What they say now sets the tone going forward with Hispanic voters, which will very likely determine who will be the next president of the United States.”
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
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