Latino Turnout Boosted Obama In Western Battlegrounds

Today on ATC NPR's Ina Jaffe takes a look at the role of Latino voters in yesterday's election. She brings us these remarkable statistics courtesy of Andres Ramirez, the Vice President of Hispanic Programs for NDN.

In 2004, Hispanics accounted for about 8 percent of total turnout in Colorado. In 2008, they accounted for 17 percent. In Nevada we saw turnout increase to 16 percent in 2008. That is up from 10 percent in 2004. And in New Mexico it went from 31 percent to 41 percent.

All three of those states went for Bush in 2004 and turned blue last night, buoyed by overwhelming support from Latino voters. About two-thirds of Latinos nationwide voted for the Democratic presidential ticket.

Even in Florida, where about a third of the Latino population is Cuban-American -- a group that has historically favored Republicans -- a majority of Latinos chose Obama yesterday. According to the Pew Research Center, Bush won 56% of Florida's Latino vote in 2004.

-- Evie Stone

4:43 PM ET | 11- 5-2008 | permalink

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