President Barack Obama has a 70 percent approval rating among Latinos, a full 18 points higher than the rest of the country, according to a new Gallup poll. This is wonderful news for Democrats, and potentially disastrous news for Republicans.
The rating comes amid an ongoing immigration reform debate – reform that could go a long way to fixing the nation’s immigration issues. If something passed is passed by this Congress (and I think it will), Latinos will likely thank President Obama by showing up at the ballot box for his Democratic counterparts. Think about it: Although undocumented immigrants can’t vote, their American-born children can. If Republicans lose Latinos like they did African-Americans after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it’s game over for Republicans on a national level.
The big surprise of the 2010 census was the rate of Latino immigration. Some experts have whites in the minority by as early as 2043. Obama’s support among minorities is what basically won him the 2012 election. Nevada is a case in point. On paper, it’s a relatively conservative state with the highest unemployment rate in the country. If there’s a state where dissatisfaction with the President’s performance should have led to a walloping, it’s Nevada. Yet Obama still won Nevada by 6 points. A lot of that had to do with Obama winning Nevada’s growing Latino population by a 2 to 1 margin.
The Latino influx is turning states such as Florida, Nevada, Colorado, and even Texas bluer by the year. If Republicans continue to ignore the problem, and give in to fiery anti-immigration rhetoric, they will continue to lose Latinos as their political clout continues to grow.
If the trend continues, Republicans will be statistically unable to win a national election within the next 15 years.
Your move, Republicans.