Immigrant and Latino Voters Provide Firewall for Senate Democrats

Contact: Martine Apodaca, 202-383-5989

Last night, the country saw a demonstration of political power from an emerging electoral force: the Latino and immigrant electorate.  In California, Nevada, Colorado, and Washington, the Latino vote provided the winning edge for key allies of the immigrant reform movement. Nevada Senator Harry Reid won a tough re-election battle against a harshly anti-immigrant candidate based on his performance with the Latino community which he won with 90%.   The Senate Majority Leader emerged at his Las Vegas victory party greeted by chants of “Si Se Puede!”  Andrea Mitchell of NBC put it best when she said “Harry Reid owes the Latino community big time.”

In Colorado, Senator Michael Bennet won 80% of the Latino vote which contributed 6.2% to his victory, according to Latino Decisions polling.

In California, Senator Barbara Boxer garnered 86% of the Latino vote according to Latino Decisions, and the candidate for Governor, Jerry Brown, won 86% of the Latino vote against an anti-immigrant candidate.

Each of these victories ensured that Democrats retained control of the United States Senate on a night when other party leaders were defeated by surging Republican candidates.

 “In key races in the West and Southwest, Latino and immigrant voters proved they could deliver victory for their friends and they put key leaders over the top in hard-fought electoral battles,” said Rich Stolz, Campaign Manager of Reform Immigration FOR America. “The immigrants’ rights movement has grown more powerful every election cycle, and yesterday they proved they could have a direct impact in mid-term elections. They know that we need leaders in Congress who will fight for comprehensive immigration reform.  Last night they sent a clear message to Washington.”

According to polling, immigration reform has become a litmus test issue for Latino voters. The prospects for both parties in 2012 will depend on their ability to win over or consolidate a large percentage of the Latino and immigrant electorate. But first, they’ll have to prove that they’re serious about working on comprehensive immigration reform.

Reform Immigration FOR America has worked relentlessly to engage the Latino community in the electoral process, by investing heavily in a coordinated national-local media strategy and on-the-ground operations in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, Washington and Wisconsin.  The Campaign also engaged in the hard of work of creating new immigrant electoral capacity in states ranging from North Carolina and California, Maine and Texas to build capacity with an eye toward the 2012 elections.