The Dynamics Of The Hispanic Vote So Far
Pew Research has compiled a useful document for those would-be (or real) politicos, journalists and historians about the Hispanic vote so far in this election year. The study analyzed the Hispanic vote in 16 states: Alabam, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, NewJersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah. It found some interesting differences between the Hispanic vote and other ethnic groups, such as producing opposite outcomes when it came to preferences of young voters and men voters.
For those interested in trends among voters of color, you might also look at our post the other day, Tracking The Race Factor In The Primaries.
Here are some of the key Pew Research findings:
– Hispanic voters have been a growing share of the turnout in 16 of the 19 states where comparisons could be made between this year and 2004.
– The preference for Clinton over Obama in the Super Tuesday primaries among Hispanic voters was 63 percent to 35 percent and 66 percent to 32 percent in the Texas primary.
– Clinton’s support among Hispanic voters tended to cut across all demographic components (age, education, income, gender etc.) as opposed to the way some broke more for Clinton and Obama in the larger electorate.
– Hispanic voters on Super Tuesday were noticeably younger than those in other ethnic groups. Twenty one percent of Hispanic voters were under 29 compared to 16 percent among black voters and 11 percent among white voters. Fifty-four percent were under 45 compared to 33 percent for white voters and 46 percent for black voters. Differing from the trend among other groups, younger Hispanic voters favored Clinton over Obama.
– While Obama has generally done better among men voters, Clinton fared better among Hispanic males, besting Obama 58 percent to 40 percent.
– Hispanic voters were more likely than whites to say that gender and race mattered to them.
– “Bringing about change” was important to all groups, but less so among Hispanics (46 percent) and whites (49 percent) than black voters (68 percent).