Latinos played a large role in the number of votes received by President Barack Obama and Sen. Bill Nelson in the Sunshine State.
Prior to recent years, the Republican Party considered Florida Latinos a safe bet, but that's changed with their shifting population. In this election, Latino voters supported Obama over presidential challenger Mitt Romney 58 percent to 40 percent in Florida.
A survey by impreMedia and Latino Decisions found the economy remained the No. 1 issue for Latino voters.
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President Barack Obama
University of Miami political scientist Casey Klofstad said a down economy works against an incumbent president, but Latinos still found more about Obama and Nelson policies to support.
Latinos are credited by the survey for Nelson's victory.
The survey showed Latino voters support Obama's immigration policy and believe he truly cares about the Latino community.
"Latinos in Florida think that the mixed approach the president advocates on tax increases and spending cuts is superior to Romney's approach of only cutting spending," Koofstad said.
Klofstad said a growing Puerto Rican population along the Interstate 4 corridor had a big impact in swinging the Florida vote.
"If the trend of their migration continues, and as long as they remain as strongly Democratic as they are, that could really be a sea change for Democratic candidates down here in south Florida."
- Florida News Connection
