Betina Wilkinson, assistant professor of political science at Wake Forest University, can offer insights and commentary on Latino voters in the 2016 elections. Wilkinson, an expert on Latino/Latina political behavior in the United States, studies Latinos in U.S. politics, national and local immigration policy, and racial attitudes among Latinos and other ethnic groups. She can discuss the demographics and election-related priorities of Latinos.
What do Latino voters care about?“On a national level and in North Carolina, the top two issues for Latinos are immigration and jobs. Immigration issues trump positions on social issues based on religion for Latino voters. So, even though abortion and gay marriage are important issues for many Latinos, they are not the driving force at the polls.”
Will Trump mobilize the Latino community to show up at the polls?“In the last few elections, more emphasis has been placed on the Latino vote since Latinos are turning out in record numbers and their allegiance to one political party is not as fixed as that of African Americans. Nationally, in the 2012 presidential election, 75 percent of Latinos voted for Obama, while 25 percent voted for Romney. Factors that influence Latinos' increased political participation include the growing citizen adult population (among Latino immigrants), the mobilization of Latino voters and the anti-immigrant rhetoric and legislation presented by several Republican leaders.”
What can candidates do to engage Latino voters? “Clearly expressing their stand on immigration is most important. Also, reaching out to Latinos goes a long way: making them feel like their votes matter is important: translating messages into Spanish, and engaging in door-to-door communication. In the past, the Democratic Party has mobilized Latino voters more than the GOP. But, the Democratic Party has not passed comprehensive immigration reform. How long can they continue to hold out the carrot of immigration change without making it happen legislatively? Key things to know about Latino voters: Median age for U.S. Latinos is 27, and there are more U.S. born Latinos than foreign-born Latinos.”
Does Marco Rubio have an advantage? “Marco Rubio is Latino. He comes from an immigrant family. He clearly outlined his immigration plan. He reaches out to Latino voters in Spanish. But, Latinos are really waiting to hear if he is in favor of comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship or not.”
What impact will Latino voters have in North Carolina?“Because North Carolina is a battleground state (Obama won by only one percent in 2012), the Latino vote is growing in importance even though North Carolina does not have a large Latino electorate - slightly less than two percent in 2012. With an increasing number of Latino citizens reaching voting age, Latino voters could play a pivotal role in North Carolina. Other states to watch: Arizona and Texas."
Wilkinson authored “North Carolina Latinos: An Emerging Influential Electorate in the South” – a chapter in the 2015 book “The Pivotal Role of the Latino Electorate in the 2012 Election.” She is also the author of the forthcoming book, “Partners or Rivals? Power and Latino, Black and White Relations in the 21st Century.” Wilkinson has also written about whites’ perceptions of Latinos. For the class she teaches on Latino political behavior, her students do service-learning work with community organizations and local schools.
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