Will Examine Latino Influence and Immigration Politics in Competitive Senate Races in Ohio and Beyond
Washington, DC – As 2015 draws to a close and all eyes focus in on the official start of primary season, America’s Voice, the parent organization to Ohio’s Voice, and Latino Decisions announced, yesterday, a new 2016 Senate project to monitor political developments in states, like Ohio, that are home to both competitive Senate electoral environments and growing Latino populations.
In a new blog posted at Latino Decisions, David Damore, Senior Analyst at Latino Decisions and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, maps out the initial list of target states (AZ, CA, CO, FL, IL, NC, NV, OH, PA and WI); provides context around current political dynamics in key races; and explains how a surging Latino electorate combined with the developments on the presidential campaign trail might impact down ballot races. The full blog post is available here and yesterday’s slide deck is available here.
Said Damore, “The analysis demonstrates how the country’s changing demography is continuing to reshape the geography of political competition in a manner that positions Latino voters to influence outcomes in a number of electoral contexts. How the parties and their candidates respond to these voters will go a long way to determining which party will be in control of the US Senate after November.”
Much is at stake for both parties in 2016. Between a divisive race for the White House and an increasingly diverse electorate, how candidates handle key, defining issues like immigration is sure to influence outcomes in races up and down the ballot—something that’s caused great concern amongst top Republicans as the Trump Effect continues to influence the GOP debate.
In the months ahead, America’s Voice and Latino Decisions will release three waves of national and state polling of likely Latino voters.
Said Lynn Tramonte, Director of Ohio’s Voice, “Senator Rob Portman has a troubled history on immigration reform. He voted against the comprehensive immigration reform bill that many Republican ‘moderates’ supported in 2013. He has criticized Donald Trump’s campaign comments, but won’t rule out voting for him if he becomes the nominee. He’s even benefitting from campaign committee contributions raised in Trump’s name. That’s not the kind of leadership or problem-solving we expect in Ohio. The Democratic candidates, Governor Ted Strickland and PG Sittenfeld, have engaged positively on immigration, but we need to see and hear a lot more from them. Thousands of Ohioans with immigrant family members and friends—as well as all those who support pragmatic policies—want to know that our leaders understand the importance of pro-immigration policies and have practical solutions to offer.”
RESOURCES:
Click here to see Damore’s blog post and here for yesterday’s power point presentation.
Click here to listen to a recording of yesterday’s press call/webinar.
See more America’s Voice 2016 content at www.americasvoice.org/2016 and Latino Decisions’ analysis on the 2016 elections here.
Ohio’s Voice is a project of America’s Voice.
Follow Lynn Tramonte and America’s Voice on Twitter: @tramontela and @AmericasVoice
America’s Voice — Harnessing the power of American voices and American values to win common sense immigration reform
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