In 2008, Pres. Barack Obama won 67 percent of the Latino vote, while John McCain won 31 percent.
Republicans have argued that they'll improve their performance with Latinos because the economy and, uh, something about one of the Romney sons speaking Spanish. That about covers it.
Well, if that's their game plan, it's not working. Among 300 Latinos, nationwide, large MoE of 5.6 percent:
Obama 65
Romney 26
Furthermore, respondents plan to vote for Democratic candidates over Republican ones by a 64-21 margin.
Finally, asked what their top two issues were, 53 percent said the economy, while 51 percent said immigration. And Republicans shouldn't take solace in those economy numbers. Asked who was to blame for the shitty economy, 68 percent said Pres. George W. Bush, while just 14 percent said Obama.
Those numbers are too daunting to reverse, hence the Romney's campaign recent turn to birtherism and appeals to race resentment. If he can't win the Latino vote, why waste any effort on it? Better to try and maximize his support among working-class white voters.
So did you hear the one about the president (where's his birth certificate?) who doesn't understand America gutting welfare (queen) reform?