By: Daniel Nardini
In a presidential election Florida has always been an important swing vote state. The 2012 presidential election will be no exception. What is becoming more critical is the Latino vote in Florida itself. Florida has a very large Latino population. Mostly composed of Cuban, Puerto Rican and Mexican immigrants and Americans of these three groups, there are more Latino voters than ever before. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Florida has seen a 57 percent increase in the size of its Latino population over the past ten years. The majority of this increase was among the Cuban American community in southern Florida, but the fastest growing Latino group in Florida are the Puerto Ricans. As of 2010 there are 1.1 million Cuban Americans and 730,000 Puerto Ricans in Florida.
The Latino vote in Florida is far from being a unilateral affair. Cuban Americans generally vote Republican in state and national elections. This is largely due to the fact that many Cuban Americans who run for public office do so on the Republican ticket. Puerto Ricans for the most part largely vote Democrat. Many of the Puerto Ricans in Florida had roots in the U.S. northeastern states which are largely Democrat. Cuban Americans have been very instrumental in voting Republican for local, state and presidential elections. The Republican Party has in part been in debt for the Cuban American vote. Puerto Ricans have been influential in being a swing vote community in New York and New Jersey (as well as Ohio). As Puerto Ricans have been moving into Florida they have been changing the demographics of the state. Now neither the Democrats nor the Republicans can take the Latino vote for granted in regards to Florida.
However, many Latinos are now wondering which party to largely support in 2012. Will Latinos go for current U.S. President Barack Obama? The Cuban American community will most likely not. Most Cuban Americans are concerned about the U.S. economy, and they do not like his record on being “too friendly” with Cuba. Will the Puerto Ricans vote for Obama? Maybe. Many of them are disappointed with his efforts on jobs. However, many Puerto Ricans feel that too many of the Republican presidential candidates are anti-Latino and so many Puerto Ricans may side with Obama. In essence, the Cuban American community in Florida may most likely vote Republican, and the Puerto Ricans may vote for Obama. The Mexican American community in Florida may go for whoever sounds the best on jobs and immigration reform. One thing is for sure, and that is neither party can ignore the Florida vote and certainly not the Latino vote in Florida.
Florida’s Latino Swing Vote
By: Daniel Nardini
The Latino vote in Florida is far from being a unilateral affair. Cuban Americans generally vote Republican in state and national elections. This is largely due to the fact that many Cuban Americans who run for public office do so on the Republican ticket. Puerto Ricans for the most part largely vote Democrat. Many of the Puerto Ricans in Florida had roots in the U.S. northeastern states which are largely Democrat. Cuban Americans have been very instrumental in voting Republican for local, state and presidential elections. The Republican Party has in part been in debt for the Cuban American vote. Puerto Ricans have been influential in being a swing vote community in New York and New Jersey (as well as Ohio). As Puerto Ricans have been moving into Florida they have been changing the demographics of the state. Now neither the Democrats nor the Republicans can take the Latino vote for granted in regards to Florida.
However, many Latinos are now wondering which party to largely support in 2012. Will Latinos go for current U.S. President Barack Obama? The Cuban American community will most likely not. Most Cuban Americans are concerned about the U.S. economy, and they do not like his record on being “too friendly” with Cuba. Will the Puerto Ricans vote for Obama? Maybe. Many of them are disappointed with his efforts on jobs. However, many Puerto Ricans feel that too many of the Republican presidential candidates are anti-Latino and so many Puerto Ricans may side with Obama. In essence, the Cuban American community in Florida may most likely vote Republican, and the Puerto Ricans may vote for Obama. The Mexican American community in Florida may go for whoever sounds the best on jobs and immigration reform. One thing is for sure, and that is neither party can ignore the Florida vote and certainly not the Latino vote in Florida.