Dems selling their souls but screw US
Democratic hopefuls reach out to hispanics
Monday, August 27, 2007 03:19:17 AM
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Democratic Hopefuls Reach Out to Hispanics
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Democratic presidential candidates say they are reaching out to Hispanics - a group that could play a key role in Iowa's caucuses.
But apparently they need to stretch a little further. Most Hispanics say they didn't know they were being courted.
"I don't see anything," says Sam Carbajal, who works for the school district in Marshalltown, a farming and manufacturing town in central Iowa.
It's the same to the east in Cedar Rapids, said Jesse Martinez, a field organizer with the Eastern Iowa Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
"I haven't seen any outreach (of candidates) coming into the community," Martinez said. "That's the general consensus ... when are they going to come talk to us? So far, nothing."
Nevertheless, with immigration reform emerging as one of the top issues of the 2008 campaign, Democrats say Iowa's small but growing Hispanic community could turn out for Iowa's first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses. In a close contest, Hispanics could make the difference in who finishes first.
Among candidates' efforts to win Hispanic support:
-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has a full-time staffer in charge of Hispanic outreach efforts, and he has hosted meetings and conference calls with leaders in the community. Spokesman Tommy Vietor calls it "a concerted effort to reach out to Latino organizations and voters in Iowa."
-New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who was raised in Mexico City, has hired bilingual staffers and directed them toward regions of Iowa with significant Hispanic populations. "We are focusing considerable attention on parts of the state with larger Hispanic populations and we're making sure the Hispanic population knows the governor is one of them," said spokesman Tom Reynolds.
-New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will soon release a list of Hispanic leaders in Iowa who support her campaign, said Iowa spokeswoman Stephanie Bjornson. The campaign earlier named a national Hispanic Leadership Council that included two Iowans - union leader Miguel Moreno and Alfred Ramirez, executive director of the Cedar Rapids nonprofit group Diversity Focus.
One difficulty campaigns face in reaching Hispanic voters is that Iowa's relatively small Hispanic population is scattered in burgs and hamlets throughout the state, rather than concentrated in a few communities.
Iowa has an estimated 114,700 Hispanics, making up less than 4 percent of the state's population. In 2004, when the number of Hispanics was somewhat smaller, the U.S. Census estimated that 24,000 Hispanics in the state were U.S. citizens and 13,000 were registered to vote. That year, the census estimated that 12,000 Hispanics voted.
Still, the Hispanic population is up 39 percent since 2000 as immigrants move to Iowa, drawn by work in meatpacking plants and other blue-collar jobs.
Though the community is small, the attention given to the state's Hispanics reflects the political reality that with so many candidates seeking the Democratic nomination, building an edge within any group could provide the margin of victory.
Armando Villareal, administrator
Monday, August 27, 2007 03:19:17 AM
Top Political Headlines
Democratic Hopefuls Reach Out to Hispanics
Thompson Backers Look for Old Truck
Obama: U.S. Can't Fail New Orleans Again
Edwards Offers Cancer Plan
Efforts to Change Flood Insurance Stall
Doubts Grow Over U.S.-India Nuclear Deal
Huckabee Expectations High for Thompson
Thompson Says He Likes His Position
Clinton Stumps With Celebs in Vineyard
Florida Dems Could Lose Say in 2008 Race
Democratic presidential candidates say they are reaching out to Hispanics - a group that could play a key role in Iowa's caucuses.
But apparently they need to stretch a little further. Most Hispanics say they didn't know they were being courted.
"I don't see anything," says Sam Carbajal, who works for the school district in Marshalltown, a farming and manufacturing town in central Iowa.
It's the same to the east in Cedar Rapids, said Jesse Martinez, a field organizer with the Eastern Iowa Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
"I haven't seen any outreach (of candidates) coming into the community," Martinez said. "That's the general consensus ... when are they going to come talk to us? So far, nothing."
Nevertheless, with immigration reform emerging as one of the top issues of the 2008 campaign, Democrats say Iowa's small but growing Hispanic community could turn out for Iowa's first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses. In a close contest, Hispanics could make the difference in who finishes first.
Among candidates' efforts to win Hispanic support:
-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has a full-time staffer in charge of Hispanic outreach efforts, and he has hosted meetings and conference calls with leaders in the community. Spokesman Tommy Vietor calls it "a concerted effort to reach out to Latino organizations and voters in Iowa."
-New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who was raised in Mexico City, has hired bilingual staffers and directed them toward regions of Iowa with significant Hispanic populations. "We are focusing considerable attention on parts of the state with larger Hispanic populations and we're making sure the Hispanic population knows the governor is one of them," said spokesman Tom Reynolds.
-New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will soon release a list of Hispanic leaders in Iowa who support her campaign, said Iowa spokeswoman Stephanie Bjornson. The campaign earlier named a national Hispanic Leadership Council that included two Iowans - union leader Miguel Moreno and Alfred Ramirez, executive director of the Cedar Rapids nonprofit group Diversity Focus.
One difficulty campaigns face in reaching Hispanic voters is that Iowa's relatively small Hispanic population is scattered in burgs and hamlets throughout the state, rather than concentrated in a few communities.
Iowa has an estimated 114,700 Hispanics, making up less than 4 percent of the state's population. In 2004, when the number of Hispanics was somewhat smaller, the U.S. Census estimated that 24,000 Hispanics in the state were U.S. citizens and 13,000 were registered to vote. That year, the census estimated that 12,000 Hispanics voted.
Still, the Hispanic population is up 39 percent since 2000 as immigrants move to Iowa, drawn by work in meatpacking plants and other blue-collar jobs.
Though the community is small, the attention given to the state's Hispanics reflects the political reality that with so many candidates seeking the Democratic nomination, building an edge within any group could provide the margin of victory.
Armando Villareal, administrator
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Not surprising. Most hispanics vote for Democratic candidates. At least in my neck of the woods (Texas & NM). Native americans (Indians), blacks, hispanics, and less educated less economically blessed whites are much more likely to vote for the Democrats. Many older persons, who date back to FDR or whose parents went through the great depression, vote only for the Democrats. I still hear some state that FDR saved this country after the Republicans caused the depression.
With the hispanics (and some others) out breeding us and with the huge influx of new ones coming here, in the future the Demos are in a good position to improve their numbers of elected officials. In the past many hispanics (citizens) did not vote. The Demos just have to "get out the vote" to realize this advantage. I think that is the primary objective here.0 -
america is sinking fast.....BUT.....the revolt will restore things 0
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