2012 Presidential election: Attracting the Latino voter

SALT LAKE CITY -- The current state of the economy is a major talking point for every politician running on the 2012 ticket. And it has become even more prevalent for the candidates running for president, with each presidential hopeful presenting some sort of economic -- jobs -- plan as part of their candidacy.

But with so many platforms and solutions being advanced as politicians look to mend the broken economy, some may be forgetting a voting bloc that has been hit the hardest and is likely to hold a lot of weight in the upcoming elections: the Latino voter.

A report released by the Pew Hispanic Center showed median household wealth among Latinos fell from $18,359 in 2005 to $6,325 in 2009, which is a 66 percent drop since 2005. Meanwhile, the median white household wealth dropped only 16 percent in the same time period.

Many groups have been critical of President Barack Obama's ability to create jobs in the United States, but with the Hispanic population hit the hardest, the vote won't come easy for the incumbent president.

In 2008, President Barack Obama won a convincing margin of the Latino vote, collecting about 67 percent of votes. But according to a recent Gallup Poll, the president's approval rating among Latinos is quickly fading. The report showed nearly 75 percent of Latino voters approved of President Obama in 2009, but has now dropped to 48 percent in September.

In June, President Obama visited Puerto Rico, becoming the first sitting president to visit in 50 years. Addressing a crowd of supporters, the president said he shared the concerns of the people of Puerto Rico and was committed to improving the economy.

Others candidates, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, have ramped up their campaigns to attract Latino voters. On Sept. 2, Romney spoke to about 100 Latino leaders from around the country at a breakfast sponsored by the Republican National Hispanic Assembly in Florida.

Romney addressed the issues affecting the Hispanic population in the economy, saying, "Hispanics, as you know, have been hit terribly hard, disproportionately hard with an unemployment rate that is substantially higher than the national figures."

But as the Republican presidential race heats up, with Rick Perry taking a commanding lead in national opinion polls, many believe Perry may be the candidate to secure the Latino base. Citing a more moderate approach to the issue of illegal immigration in Monday's CNN/Tea Party Express debate, Perry said:

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"The bottom line is it doesn't make any difference what the sound of your last name is. That is the American way. No matter how you got into that state, from the standpoint of your parents brought you there or what have you," Perry said amid boos from the Republican crowd.

Perry's more moderate approach may be a deciding factor for many of the Latino voters, but it is imperative that a viable job plan is advanced by the Perry campaign to secure Latino voters.

More than 6.6 million Latinos voted in the 2010 midterm election, according to data from the Pew Hispanic Center. And many predict the numbers will continually grow, with approximately 13 million Latinos expected to vote in the 2012 presidential election.

Although the Latino population living in Utah is 18 percent, the overall increase in Latinos has drastically increased, with Wasatch County seeing a 311 percent increase since 2000. And several other counties in the state are seeing similar growth.

For a candidate to have a chance at the White House in 2012, it is imperative the candidate focuses on the issues of one of the fastest growing voting blocs in the United States. And as primary season draws closer, expect several candidates to tailor much of their platform to Latino voters.

Email: jfurlong@ksl.com

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