What Hillary's Victory May Mean for NY Latinos

Looking over the NY Times's coverage of voter turnout in New York on Tuesday reveals another interesting twist to this discussion of emergent v. insurgent voting blocs, at least as it pertains to Nueva York's Latinos. Crazy as this may sound, but if Hillary Clinton wins in November, African American politicians who supported her stand to lose as much, if not more than if they had supported Obama.

Here's a rationale: Obama's victory in central Brooklyn and his ability to record a split in Congressman Charles Rangel's district in Harlem reiterated a national trend of African American votes steering in his direction. For example, in Brooklyn Obama received an endorsement from Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, who shares the senator's profile as a charismatic emerging political star. Meanwhile in Harlem, Rangel, the dean of black democrats, older and like his fellow black political patriarch, Andrew Young, failed to deliver a victory for Clinton. Rangel's failure should not have been a surprise considering Obama's recent success in South Carolina, but this observation does nothing to replace the political capital that Rangel aggressively extended on Clinton's behalf even as her support among his Harlem constituents plummeted.

These conclusions may seem trivial to non-New Yorkers, but they can potentially mark a historical breakthrough if Clinton makes it into the White House. A Clinton victory in November coupled with letdowns by Rangel and his Brooklyn counterpart, Yvette Clarke, means that New York is now poised to send a Latino senator to Washington, one who would join Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Ken Salazar of Colorado.

Of course, the decision of choosing the senator to replace Clinton rests solely in Governor Eliot Spitzer's hands, but given New York's current demographic shifts, most notably the fact that Latinos outnumber African Americans, Spitzer would have very little reason for selecting any of the black democrats who are presumably currently favored for this position. This short list includes Spitzer's Lieutenant Governor, David A. Paterson, and Congressman Gregory Meeks. Meeks can at least lay claim to delivering a victory for Clinton in his southeastern Queens district, but Paterson's significance in the changing landscape of New York's Democratic Party is cloudy at best. Both resumes pale in comparison to Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr, who is to New York's Democratic Party what Eli Manning is to the New York football Giants. On Super Tuesday Carrion marshaled a successful voter turnout for Clinton's camp that arrived on the heels of ushering another stellar turnout for Spitzer's gubernatorial campaign. Carrion's recent string of successes overwhelmingly demonstrates what Latino voters are capable of accomplishing in New York elections moving forward, and will be hard to overlook if, and when Spitzer has to select a replacement for Clinton.

Considering that Clinton has just had to dip into her savings to finance the rest of her campaign, such a prognostication might be irrelevant. Nevertheless, whatever happens from this point on in the democratic campaign, one cannot deny that Adolfo Carrion Jr. is a rising power broker in the party.

Comments

[Hellooo]

We hear from Jesse and Al only about race because we only consult them about racial things. I think both of them have been able to address other things very effectively and intelligently while they were on the presidential campaign stumps.

on a completely different but the same theme!

The "Yes We Can" video illustrates originality, creativity, focus, talent and cooperation without the money carrot. Who would have thought that the"Rap" mode and rap artists could produce such a work? We only get what we ask for.

[Barrack69]

What are u kidding me? They are gonna hand the Senate seat to Cuomo, with or without the nod from Hillary. Hillary owes. Alot of people stepped aside for her and how did she repay em? Became a senate neo-con.
It will be Cuomo or whats her face from Westchester-Nita Lowey.
The old school power base aint gonna roll over yet. You guys got another half generation in the trenches before you earn your due.

[sjl106]

This blog is completely ignorant. God the racial blur coming from some people is astonishing. Bobby Kennedy Jr. has been courted to run for Hillary's senate seat once she wins the nomination. Oh how racist that is going to come out to be.

[ms.understood]

It's very difficult for a Afr-Am candidate to transcend race when other minorities, as well as the establishment, are likely to discriminate against them. If you can believe it, we still have people who will not vote for Obama because he is black. The thing that gets me is the fact that Latinos are racist, and even though they outnumber Blacks by population, they aren't held in a higher regard by anyone. This is the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard of when it comes to two minorities. They should be working together instead of being divisive, especially since most of the tax payers are paying for the illegal cousins of the legal Latinos.

[SatinPanties]

You complain about racism and with that last sentence you fall into that category yourself... prejudice...

[BishkekBuddy]

Let me see if I read this correctly - the reason we should put HRC into the White House is because then a Latino would have the chance of being named to assume her position in the Senate? Aren't you selling the Latino community short here? Let's talk about who is the best candidate for the White House and then, in the next election, which candidate would be a good Senator! Geeeeeeeeeesh!

[mommadona]

Uh....."special interest" much?

Uh...."best person wins"...(?)

I would suggest everyone understand something very very quickly.....

LATINO is your FAMILY BACKGROUND

AMERICAN is your POLITICAL PERSUASION.

If you LIVE in the UNITED STATES - you are an AMERICAN.

And, to state that SOMEhow a Clintonian win give you a foot up....just plain silly.

[BlueLogic]

The 800 lb pound gorilla in the room so to speak is that there is no real dialogue to discuss the almost unbridled hostility latinos seem to have against African American politicians. Until this schizm is fully vetted you will see more polarization between our two communities. Who is to say, that if a latino is selected for the junior senator seat by Spitzer that he/she will not face a black backlash "blacklash" in retaliation for the animus shown to Obama from the latino community? We must work to bridge these divisions and find common ground.

[nihilon x]

38% of latinos voting for Obama in CA does not equal "unbridled hostility".

This is a non-issue that people are trying to make an issue -- Clinton has name recognition amongst many Latino voters and that is where the majority of her support comes from.

Conversely, black voters had no trouble supporting Villagairosa in the Los Angeles elections, helping him to win the election.

Stop trying to make political racial issues where there are none.

[Nommo]

This is NY/east coast, entirely different set of dynamics at play here.

[MisoPretty]

This is so disheartening.

[AkebulanTechnocrat]

Great insight mawrm!

[mawrm]

Actually one reason I like Obama is the fact that if he wins he reduces the influence of old-timers who benefit from the divisions between blacks and Latinos because of their near-exclusively Afr-Am base. Yes, there was a time where the only way black leaders could come up was through support in the black community. However times have changed and it's time to update our methods. As an Afr-Am, I believe the proper model of leadership for Afr-Am leaders should be someone who appeals to all races and works equally hard on everyone's behalf. It's through this model of leadership that Afr-Ams will realize REAL gains in society - look at the greater respect given to Afr-Am leaders who "transcend" race. And Obama's style of leadership teaches young Afr-Ams this helpful model for leadership in the 21st century.

[Ono4Hoopono]

Beautifully put. There is an inherent equality-of-all-humanity aspect to Obama's style that truly transcends race, and I think Michelle Obama shows the same emotional intelligence. When the Clinton camp's [ever so subtle] attempt to reawaken racial divisiveness was brought up to him, he just said [paraphrased], "We've seen all this before, we're not perturbed by it anymore." And you can feel he is genuine when he says that, and that he is speaking from his higher self and that he doesn't take it personally. HE has moved on, so he makes it easier for everyone ELSE to move on. It is really a beautiful thing to behold.

I also think he has benefited from growing up in Hawaii, because a lot of his easy style likely comes from what he displays as "The Aloha Spirit." This is a feeling shared among people who live in Hawaii, a highly integrated multi-cultural state, that transcends race and economic strata. A feeling that bonds people in commonality with a general sense of well-being and well-wishes for all. It is often touted as a welcoming feeling which it is, but most importantly, it is a deep common respect for the humanity of all peoples. Obama carries that around with him in his heart...you can't help but do that once you've lived in Hawaii. It is contagious. Hawaii is kind of a laboratory for multi-culturalism for the United States, and I think its effects are beginning to be felt nationwide through Obama. Great post, thanks.

[DennyCrane]

That's an excellent point. I'm not African American and one of the things I like about Obama is that he doesn't talk exclusively about issues that only concern African Americans. He talks about issues to concern ALL americans. This should be the model for other African American politicians. What turns off so many to people Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton is that we only seem to hear from them when the issue has to do with race. Nowhere does Obama suggest he only cares about African Americans. But that hasn't stopped the Clintons from suggesting that.

[Jazz42]

Not being an African American.
Go back and read your post. You suggest that the Clinton's inject race into the debate, you did the very thing you accuse the Clinton of doing.
when you bring Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson into the debate. I went back and read the blog by Mr Lafargue. I couldn't find any mention of Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson.

[Jazz42]

Well thought out post. I agree.
(mawrm)