Poll: "Sharp Reversal" For Obama With Hispanic Voters

John McCain has been courting Hispanic voters heavily. But according to a new Pew Research Center poll, it hasn't done him much good:

Hispanic registered voters support Democrat Barack Obama for president over Republican John McCain by 66% to 23%, according to a nationwide survey of Latinos conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, from June 9 through July 13, 2008.

The presumptive Democratic nominee's strong showing in this survey represents
a sharp reversal in his fortunes from the primaries, when Obama lost the Latino
vote to Hillary Clinton by a margin of nearly two-to-one, giving rise to
speculation in some quarters that Hispanics were disinclined to vote for a black
candidate.

...

Obama is rated favorably by 76% of Latino registered voters, making him much
more popular among that voting group than McCain (44% favorable) and
President Bush (27% favorable). He now appears to be even more popular than
Hillary Clinton among Latinos (73% favorable).

George W. Bush took 40% of the Latino vote in 2004, a record for a GOP candidate. According to Pew's results, the long-term Hispanic shift Republicans hoped for hasn't materialized:

In addition to their strong support for Obama, Latino voters have moved sharply
into the Democratic camp in the past two years, reversing a pro-GOP tide that had
been running among Latinos earlier in the decade. Some 65% of Latino registered
voters now say they identify with or lean to the Democratic Party; compared with
just 26% who identify with or lean to the GOP. This 39 percentage point
Democratic Party identification edge is larger than it has been at any time this
decade; as recently as 2006, the partisan gap was just 21 percentage points.

Comments

[CrankyCurmudgeon]

Largely strong on family and deeply honor and tradition-bound, the Latino community heard the Republican party's values talk and believed it. Now that they've had some time to evaluate the truth and veracity of the Republican's claims, they're suffering major buyer's remorse.

[SouthFloridaDem]

Sums it up nicely, Cranky.

[kellygrrrl]

most of the Evangelical Christians I know feel the same way

people don't like being "used"

[triplbee]

Actually, I think it's more simple than that. Latinos have been appalled at the racism coming out of the GOP. They are well aware that Republican angst over immigration is a thinly veiled form of racism. They are not going to vote for politicians that hate them. This is precisely why African-Americans don't vote for Republicans. African-Americans are extremely socially conservative, but are averse to voting for these modern day Dixiecrats who appear to hate them.

[speeddeeps]

spot on

[JJaye]

That was just media driven frenzy meant to further divide.

[TunaFish]

Somehow, I think that this poll forgot to question any Hispanics in Texas, or at the least in San Antonio. Hispanic voters in this city seem to be leaning towards McCain. Much of the talk that I hear seems to come from things that they have been told by others (Express News, John Hagee - large Hispanic membership in his church, and the leadership of the Archdiocese, to name a few). It is another example of people who do not want to think for themselves. Wish that they would. Especially, since there is a core group of excellent Hispanic, and Democratic Party, leaders in the city who do not support McCain and who should be out drumming up support for Obama. If they are doing so, it does not seem to be making the local news.

[marymansour]

Doesn't sound good for Clinton's chances of becoming his Veep. Another ethnic group without her.

[Sixtwo]

Lest we forget that Obama was running against Hillary --Democratic against Democraic during the primaries, not so much against McCain. Of course he would and is now running a different campaign-he is DEFINING himself as opposed to letting the media vis-a-via McCain define him. As folks really focus, they come to their senses about who is the better candidate for President as we journey into the 21st century--polls are revealing.

[lynettema]

I fail to understand why Obama is ahead by only 6% points in most national polls. WHO is voting for McC except the 29% that support Bush? We just cannot continue with the same Republican ideology that has led to the mess we are in. I know. Democrats will not be perfect, humans are involved. But they are the best we have at this time. Vote Democrat! Vote Obama!

[jinjinpinti]

I have to seriously question the true accuracy of these polls, particularly with so much of the MSM so committed to maintaining the Republican status quo. Also with the new factor of the cell phone phenomenon which has mushroomed exponentially in the years since the last election.

[hankandted]

I could have told you this a long time ago. Just because Hillary was popular in the primaries doesn't mean that Hispanics will go to McCain. In my canvassing I found that Latinos liked Obama the more they got to know him.

[Davwbaird]

That kinda and for sure ties up the elections in such states as colorado and new mexico, since native americans are for Obama as well as the educated whites. McCain will lose in Arizona there is a revulsion amongst many. Of course vacationing whites from Flint and detrioit can not vote for Mccain since they vote in Michigan.

[BassMent]

I don't get this headline..­. and it's not HuffPo's doing this time! This has pretty much been the point spread between Obama and McCain among Latinos since Hillary conceded the nomination. This is not news.

[Dane1911]

Obama never had a Hispanic problem, they just favored CLinton more.....

[filmex]

Since the Los Angeles Times reported two months ago that Obama had a 40% lead amongst Latino voters, this headline is very misleading. You almost gave me a heart attack.

[plafayette]

So let me get this straight- Obama has 95% of African American votes - 66% of Hispanic votes and 40 something percent of White votes.....­YET.... Obama and John McCain are almost virtually tied?
Oh! Did I also mention that 76% to 80% of the American people think that the country is going in the wrong direction under Bush=McSame?

CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW THIS "TIE" IS POSSIBLE?

I use to respect Chuck Todd and his numbers read but I have to admit that I am looking at him somewhat askew these days.

[RJII]

the more the merrier. the Hispanics support is much needed.

[Trittydi]

And it's in their own interests. Smart of them.
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[Alfannell]

Obama-Richardson 2008!

[personalpolitical]

This isn't new. I thought it was going to say he isn't doing well anymore. He has been beating McCain by large margins amount Latinos for a long time.

[Trittydi]

More ... we want more ....
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