Latino America

Much of our knowledge of Latino politics in the United States is filled with myths and misperceptions based on anecdotal accounts gathered by news reporters or self-designated experts. It is also not unusual for individuals to assume that what is true of the Mexican-origin population is also true of Puerto Ricans or another Latin American ancestry groups. There are over twenty countries in Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, so to pick draw general conclusions based on one example is perilous. There are also important and often overlooked differences between Latino immigrants and those who are non-immigrants or who have been living in the country for many generations. Differences between Latinos who are Democrats and those who are Republicans are often significant. Latino America challenges many of the myths surrounding Latino politics and identifies areas of commonality and differences across varying types of Latinos. Understanding the complexity and particulars of this landscape is important because Latino Americans are a growing and decisive part of the electorate. Latinos cast roughly 5 million more ballots in 2012 than they did in 2004. By 2020 they will comprise a quarter of the electorate. What they want will drive party policy. Indeed the same dynamics that have ousted Republicans from Colorado and Nevada and nearly eliminated their participation in every avenue of government throughout California are now changing the playing field in other Republican strongholds such as Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. The shift in Latino support from Bush to Romney (40% to 23%) represents the largest inter-election movement of any racial and ethnic group during this period --and unless the GOP can listen to and act for Latinos, the political earthquake has only just begun.