When it comes to winning elections, no one single group holds the most power — but politicians from all parties would do well to pay attention to Latinos and the issues that most closely concern them in 2012.
In 2004, they helped carry George W. Bush to victory — and in 2008, by a slim margin, they voted for Barack Obama. They will play a pivotal role on Jan. 31, when the Florida primary takes place.
And with 10 million members and counting, Hispanic evangelicals are becoming a prominent part of the voting bloc. And this year, they’re working harder than ever to get people to the polls.
“Hispanic evangelicals are looking for someone who has a comprehensive moral agenda,” said the Rev. Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NALEC). “We know no candidate is perfect, but we’re looking for the one that most closely aligns to our commitment to Scripture and the people in our pews.”
So how does that translate to a political platform? While marriage and life are some of the top social issues for them, Hispanic evangelicals aren’t single-topic voters — and they are looking for commitment on issues of social justice as well.
They want “a good immigration policy,” Salguero explained. “You have to earn the right to become a citizen. You have to pay back taxes, learn English and take civics classes. Get in the back of the line. Learn the history and politics (of the country). If your family member is a U.S. citizen, that should count as part of a point system toward earning citizenship. We’re not advocating breaking the law, but for total reform.”
Earlier this month, NALEC launched a six-state voter-registration drive in Florida, which is heavily populated by Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Dominicans. The drive will move to Ohio next month, then New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Arizona and possibly Texas.
“It’s geared to get the younger Latino evangelicals and Pentecostals not just registered, but to go out and vote,” Salguero said. “Some will be able to vote in the primaries, others will be too late for anything but November. But we want their voices to be heard.”
Hispanics are projected to become the largest people group in the nation by 2050. But immigration isn’t the only thing that’s driving the numbers that will be at the polls this year. As a group, they’re now learning to vote their values, Salguero said.
“Many people have told us that Latinos historically have been disengaged, so we’re trying to help them overcome that,” Salguero explained. “Some of them have heard the narrative of ‘separation of church and state,’ and they don’t really know what that means. So it’s overcoming a lot of fear and the narrative of what it means for the church to be engaged.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Learn more about the National Latino Evangelical Coalition.
Learn more about the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
Learn more about Esperanza.
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