Wooing The Latino Voter

Latino faith in the Democratic Party has been significantly shaken during the economic crisis. President Obama’s Latino approval rating has fallen to 51%, from a huge margin of 85% after his first 100 days in office, according to a Gallup poll.

Many Republicans see this moment of dissatisfaction as an opportunity to sway Latino voters.

Do they have a shot? Or can the Democrats hang onto this constituency? Here are the issues that Latino voters say they consider most important.

Wealth

Latino households, on average, are much less wealthy than their non-Latino white counterparts, with a $37,769 median net worth compared to $52,113, according to the 2008 Census.

As a whole, lower-income voters, regardless of ethnic identity, tend to side with Democratic nominees. Obama won 60% of the votes of those with a family income under $50,000, compared to 49% of those who  made over $100,000, according to a Pew analysis.

With their historical emphasis on social programs, the Democratic Party has long held the lower-income vote.

Immigration

More than most Americans, Latino voters tend to remain connected with their nations of origin, with family ties intact. So, immigration policy is a major issue for 75% of Latino voters, according to a 2008 Pew study.

In 2008, Latino voters felt more confident in Barack Obama’s ability to deal with immigration, by a margin of 50% compared to 12% for his Republican opponent, U.S. Senator John McCain.

Since 2008, the perception of the Republican stance on legal immigration has been shaded by anti-illegal immigration debates like those that have emerged in Arizona and other states.