Democrats Hunting For Hispanic Votes
BY BUDDY NEVINS
The state Democrat’s huge election year Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Hollywood has picked a Hispanic leader as keynote speaker.
The choice of Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa indicates the importance the party places on Hispanic voters this year.
Antonio Villaraigosa
The announcement that Villaraigosa will speak to the largest gathering of the party activists before the election comes on the same day pro-Obama campaign forces launched a Spanish-language TV ad campaign attacking Mitt Romney.
Priorities USA Action, a super PAC, and Service Employees International Union, one of the largest politically-active labor groups, kicked off a $4 million TV ad campaign attacking Romney’s economic experience.
In a 30-second spot — “Mitt Romney: En Sus Propias Palabras” — is one of the largest Spanish-language presidential ad buys ever reported. It is scheduled to run in Colorado, Nevada and Florida, three key swing states.
“This ad is part of a broader effort to ensure Latino voters know the stakes in this election, and who has been on the side of Latino families and who will continue to stand with them in the coming years,” SEIU political director Brandon Davis told ABC News.
Obama leads Romney nationwide among Hispanics, 67 to 26 percent, according to the latest Gallup poll. But nationwide, Hispanics have a higher than average unemployment rate – 11 percent – so the Republicans believe they have a good shot with them this year.
Less than three weeks before the Jefferson-Jackson, Obama is scheduled to visit Florida at a Miami Beach fundraiser hosted by singer/songwriter Marc Anthony for high-rolling Hispanics.
“Latinos are a force that can and will help decide this election. And it’s a good thing that we’ve got so much to say, right?” Anthony says in a new web video for Obama’s campaign. “We have jobs, the economy, education. President Obama is on our side on all of them. We just have to make sure that he gets four more years to make more progress. The president has our back.”
Villaraigosa has been mayor since 2005 and is now in his second term. He is the first Mexican-American to hold that post in over 130 years.
Shortly after being elected, he was named one of the up-and-coming Hispanic leaders.
His martial infidelities dampened some of the nationwide enthusiasm for him.
He had an affair with a television reporter Mirthala Salinas and divorced his wife.
He now is dating another TV reporter Lu Parker, who is also a former Miss USA.
Antonio Villaraigosa and his main squeeze, former Miss USA Lu Parker at an animal charity event.
The Jefferson-Jackson Dinner is at the Weston Diplomat July 14 and tickets are still available here.
June 11th, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Once again the Democrats prove they are more concerned with race than with ideas.
June 12th, 2012 at 10:27 am
It is nice to see the Democratic Party reaching out and embracing Latinos whose issues are often derided and castigated by Republicans.
June 14th, 2012 at 10:33 am
Let’s be honest. Neither party cares about Hispanics they just want their votes. Democrats and Republicans are no different in that respect, a fact that has not gone unnoticed among Hispanics I speak with. Many will stay home this election day because they have no reason to go vote.
June 15th, 2012 at 8:50 am
Is this what they mean when Dems claim they are “Bi”-partisan? They lie about Republicans in two languages?