Political

Iconoculture is examining the values and motivations driving the Latino vote in the 2008 presidential election. Iconoculture’s Latino Consumer Strategist team is looking to the future and defining how emerging trends will impact the political leanings of today’s Latino communities. During Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), there will be a great deal of emphasis on the history of the community, but the Latino market is not looking back; it is plunging ahead in an era of growth.

Senator Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign together with the Democratic National Committee announced a $20 million commitment to engaging and mobilizing Hispanic voters for the November election at a press conference with Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO), Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Congresswoman Hilda Solis (D-CA) and Congressman José Serrano (D-NY).

The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) offers important Latino voting statistics that will influence the 2008 US Presidential race.

Hispanic registered voters support Democrat Barack Obama for president over Republican John McCain by 66% to 23%, according to a nationwide survey of 2,015 Latinos conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center.

Some 96 million voted in the 2006 congressional elections, an increase of 7 million from 2002, according to a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

I guess once was not enough, so the group of angry, fear-mongering loudmouths mimicking Lou Dobbs, trying to make names for themselves by whipping up an anti-immigrant frenzy are at it again. Just read the headline below.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform is holding its annual “Hold Their Feet to the Fire” talk radio rally September 10 and 11 in Washington, DC. FAIR expects this to be the largest of these events with upwards of 50 to 75 talk radio hosts expected to broadcast from Washington. FAIR says the goal of the event is to “counteract the special interests attempting to set an amnesty agenda for the new Congress and the next president.” By Jose Cancela.

A record-breaking 46% of Americans have used the internet, email or cell phone text messaging to get news about the campaign, share their views and mobilize others. And Barack Obama’s backers have an edge in the online political environment.

With the focus now squarely on the general election, the pressure intensifies to work those pieces of the demographic pie that could mean The White House. Among the tastier slices? U.S. Latino voters.