Wednesday, October 17, 2012

OPINION: Romney’s Chance To Win Latino Voters: “The Economy Stupid”





America last night saw round two of the Presidential Debate, and the race is getting closer and closer. According to the national Gallup poll, Governor Romney is edging at 50% versus President Obama at 46%.


Both campaigns are fighting hard to court the Latino vote for this Presidential election. Even Former Governor Jeb Bush stated that the margin of victory in the 15 swing states will be decided by Latinos. Now for the first time in American history, Latinos will decide who will be the next President come this November.

We have seen both parties put out their Spanish language campaign ads trying to convince Latinos that they are the right candidate. The Governor’s son, Craig Romney, is in one of these ads, as he touts his father as the right candidate for America and in Spanish:


But what will really push Latinos to vote for Governor Romney? President Clinton’s former campaign strategist, James Carville, coined the phrase in the 1992 Clinton campaign, “The Economy Stupid”. Clinton’s campaign used the recession to successfully unseat the incumbent President Bush, who served just one term.  Carville also used the message, “Change vs More of the Same”. I don’t know about you, but I am seeing a lot of similarities from the 1992 Presidential elections and the only difference is the shoe is on the other foot.

The issue of the economy is going to be the principle indicator of how Latinos will vote for either candidate. This is why Romney still has a chance of winning this Presidential election because it’s the “economy stupid”.


Romney’s campaign is gaining speed, money and political messaging. Romney still has a chance to show Latinos that he is the right choice for President. What he needs is to continue focusing on how his economic plan and experience will be better for Americans. Latinos will listen to Romney’s economic message only if it makes sense like for most Americans. Will the economy get better? How will real jobs be created? How will my business be protected?

According to the US Census, both Latinos and women are the largest growing overall groups in business ownership in the United States. Entrepreneurship is part of the DNA of the Latino culture and only makes sense why we are so interested in issues relating to the economy and the business climate.

Romney has just a few weeks left to show Latinos that he is the right candidate for President. He must focus his message on supporting small business, increasing jobs in America, and protecting current jobs from leaving the United States. If he continues this path, Romney’s chance for Latinos voting for him will increase, and Latinos might possibly make him the next President of the United States.

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