by Emily C. Ruíz
It is going to be a turn-out question in the Texas Democratic presidential primary March 4. This is the first time Texas and its Hispanic votes could be pivotal in choosing the 2008 Democratic nominee. Both candidates promise to campaign vigorously.
“We’re going to be on television radio in Spanish and knocking on doors in Latino neighborhoods’” Temo Figueroa, field manager of the Obama campaign, told Weekly Report.
Patti Solis Doyle, interviewed Feb. 8, two days before she was relieved of her position as Clinton’s campaign manager, stressed, “We have formidable Latino support in Texas. Regardless of these friendships, we’re not going to take anything for granted.”
Solis Doyle, the only Hispanic ever to serve a major candidate at that high level, was replaced by Clinton aide Maggie Williams’ who is African American’ following Obama’s victories in Nebraska, Louisiana and Washington state Feb. 9.
On Super Tuesday’ Obama won 11 state, while Clinton carried eight. With very strong Latino support, Clinton won the popular vote in the big ones: California, New York, New Jersey, Arizona and New Mexico.
The Texas primary is more complex. It has both s popular vote and a caucus after the polls close. The caucus determines the number of delegates candidates will send to the Aug. 25-28 convention in Denver.
U.S. Senator Robert Menéndez of New Jersey noted. “Latinos in many of those states (on Super Tuesday) were the definitive factor that tipped the election to a particular candidate’ We showed we’re not just a category of demographics’ but a central part of American democracy.”
Southwest Voter Registration Education Project vice president Lydia Camarillo, stressed, “It’s truly competitive so the Latino electorate has become very pivotal.
The two candidates have accepted MSNBC’s invitation to debate in Houston on Feb. 28. Clinton’s participation may be in question after network correspondent David Shuster referred to the Clintons “pimping out” their daughter Chelsea by having her phone celebrities and party super-delegates on her mother’s behalf.
There are 796 super-delegates.
Overall, Clinton has 1,136 pledged delegates, Obama 1,108.
Neither candidate has accumulated the 2,025 delegate votes needed to win the party’s nomination. So far 213 super-delegates had committed to Clinton, 139 to Obama, showed a survey done by the AP.
On Feb 12 come primaries in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Obama is said to be well positioned in all three.
With three weeks remaining before the Texas primary, both camps emphasize that voters will have a greater opportunity to know the candidates and digest their messages.
“Obama will spend more because he is raising three dollars per every dollar that Hillary is raising and he has momentum,” said Camarillo.
Both sides told Weekly Report that key issues in the Hispanic community are the economy, Iraq war, job security, healthcare, education, and anti-immigrant measures.
Political analyst Andy Hernández of Austin told Weekly Report, “There is no question Latinos have been one of the strongest groups against the war, even before the war became unpopular.’’
But, he added, ~In South Texas, the fence is a huge issue. Everyone is against it because it’s really bad for businesses down there and bad for cultural relations.”
Nationally, young, eligible Latinos increase by about two million each presidential election cycle. About a million vote.
There were 9.3 million registered Hispanic voters nationally in 2004. In 2008 the figure is 12 million. In 2004 Hispanics cast 7.5 million votes. The expected number in 2008 is 10 million, Camarillo said.
Hernández expects Latinos in the Texas primary will cast between 25-30 percent of the ballots. Camarillo projects Latinos could contribute as much as 50 percent. Hispanic Link.
