Research 2000 is polling US Senate races for progressive blog DailyKos. The Noriega campaign says when it's released, it will reflect this week's Rasmussen poll, which showed Noriega within striking distance of Cornyn. Look for that on DailyKos in about an hour, hour and a half.

Categories: 2008 U.S. Senate Race | Polls | Trends |
Posted by Elise Hu at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UT's new Center for Politics and Governance will include a Hispanic Policy Leadership Institute, to focus on the growing influence of Hispanics in both politics and policy. The program today focused several panels on that subject. Due to our tight deadlines, I was only able to stay for the first panel. Some notes:

--- Former Texas Congressman Henry Bonilla called this an "incredible transformation", yet noted the disconnect between the growing population and the percentage of Hispanics that show up at the polls. He says we should take a closer look at the cultural barriers that are preventing Hispanics from having a bigger political impact.

--- The Texas Lyceum poll conducted this spring shows 63% percent of Hispanic voters saying the country is on the wrong track

--- Top issues for Hispanics: Healthcare, education, economic security

--- Democratic political consultant James Aldrete says messaging to Hispanics must focus on the community and not the individual.

"The Catholic church sets up this idea of the group over the individual," he said. "It's hard to not have some humilty when you have to kneel a lot."

Aldrete argues that as an extension of Catholocism's impact on Hispanics, priorities like CHIP are seen as a moral obligation.

--- Frank Guerra works in corporate advertising and in politics. He says the way corporations now focus on speaking to Hispanics signals a huge shift, now that Hispanics are spending more money than ever before. The group's rising expectations for corporate America will translate to rising expectations for the political parties competing for their votes.

Believes the party that captures the "great middle" of Hispanics that are not loyal to either party will change cycle to cycle.

Others:
DMN: Trailblazers
HC: Texas Politics

Categories: Trends |
Posted by Elise Hu at 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)