Iowa Caucus: Dems Seek Hispanic Votes

Thoughts on the Iowa Caucus

by

Varo Borja

This article, by Nafeesa Sayeed, for the Associated Press, discusses the meager efforts being conducted by the Democratic Party to provide outreach to potential Hispanic voters in the State of Iowa. The Iowa caucus, the first to be held in the Nation’s presidential race and certainly the most hyped by the media, could be a good indicator of which candidate will win the nomination, and is therefore a much coveted prize by all the candidates. However, according to the article, not much is being done by any of the candidates to reach out to the growing Hispanic population in Iowa, other than a few half-hearted efforts at conferences and some appointments made on would-be presidential staffs. The top three contenders (Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Bill Richardson) have apparently made attempts at outreach to the Hispanic population in Iowa, but according to sources inside the state, such as Jesse Martinez, (an Iowa resident working with the Eastern Iowa Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform) not much is being done to reach out to the people who matter most: the voters. However, the Democrats face an imposing task, because the Hispanic population is dispersed throughout the state in small communities that are tough to reach in the aggregate. Also, Hispanics make up only about 4 percent of the population of Iowa, making them a less appealing target, but still a sizeable demographic. The Hispanic population has risen 39 percent in the last few years, and with the presidential contenders competing at very tight margins, any advantage that can be won will be well worth the effort undergone to achieve it. However, much more must be done if the present candidates are to win the laurels afforded by a large Hispanic turnout, starting with better education for previously unregistered Hispanic voters and a more aggressive outreach strategy that is able to reach this demographic before time runs out in November.