by Armando Manzanares
Nevada’s Jan. 19 Democratic caucuses gave Latino activists a rare opportunity to fl ex their expanding political muscle.
Exit polls showed Latinos made Up 14 percent of the participants and backed Democratic presidential primary winner Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama, 65 percent-20 percent. Clinton won 50.7 percent of the total caucus vote, Obama 45.2 percent.
Some 116,000 people took part in the caucuses, 12 times more than four years ago.
Latinos make up 25 percent of the state’s population, with 12 percent eligible to vote.
The Nevada Democratic Party had engaged in some major Latino voter Initiatives and put the population’s voting power to the test. The date for the Nevada primary was moved up to showcase the Latino vote.
“This is an historic opportunity. We are very proud of the turnout and participation of the Latino community,” Fabiola Rodríguez-Ciampoli, the Clinton campaign’s director of Hispanic communications, told Weekly Report.
She said the effort to mobilize the Latinos in Nevada started last April. “Strong organization on the ground at the very beginning is why we are seeing these results,” she said.
Major marketing campaigns for Spanish-language media were in effect, the Nevada Democratic Party had Spanish-language caller hotlines and outreach programs. Additionally, there was involvement from key Latino politicians both from Nevada and neighboring California.
Nevada is heavily unionized. Its biggest union, the Culinary Workers Union, is 40 percent Hispanic. It endorsed Obama.
One new twist was bilingual caucusing. Large bases of Latinos in Nevada are fi rst generation or foreign born.
Rodriguez-Ciampoli said that those groups of voters were particularly energized because of their sense of civic responsibility to be active the election process.
“This is important to Latinos, to have the freedom to choose. It is the fi rst time some really feel their vote matters and they want to participate,” Rodriguez Ciampoli said.
The next bouts for Democrats come in South Carolina (Jan. 26) and Florida (Jan. 29). Then the Feb. 5 biggie, Super Tuesday, with at least 19 states placing odds on who will be the next Democratic presidential nominee.
As for the pull Latino voters might have in the primaries and caucuses ahead, Rodriguez-Ciampoli said if Nevada is any indication, be prepared. Hispanic Link.
