MESA January 22, 2004 (AP) - With Arizona's
Democratic presidential primary less than two weeks away, leaders and
political activists say no single issue is likely to hold sway over Hispanics
voters.
Instead, Hispanics will pick a candidate based on an array of issues just like
every other voter.
"Hispanic issues are the same issues everyone has," said Debbie Lopez, director
of the Phoenix-based Hispanic Vote Project, a nonpartisan group aimed at
registering voters and increasing participation in the political process.
"It's crime. It's health care. Education is very important," Lopez said. "They
are the same for every American."
But there's no question that a booming Hispanic population is one reason why
Arizona's political relevance is on the rise among both Democrats and
Republicans.
Arizona's Hispanic population exploded 88 percent in the 1990s and today, more
than 27 percent of Arizona - and more than 31 percent of Pima County - is
Hispanic.
In addition, Hispanics comprise more than 42 percent of New Mexico's
population, suggesting that Bush's visit this week to both Phoenix and New
Mexico is no coincidence.
Adam Segal, director of the Hispanic Voter Project at Johns Hopkins
University, said that visits by both a sitting president and vice president
are unusual.
"Over the next year, it's likely you won't see the president and vice
president traveling to states that aren't critical to their re-election."
And Democrats seeking a presidential nod are also reaching out to Hispanic
voters.
Democratic candidates Wesley Clark, Howard Dean and Joe Lieberman have visited
Arizona numerous times since the campaign kicked into high gear last summer
while many of the candidates' Web sites offer the option of viewing it in
Spanish.
Lopez said that about 310,000 Hispanics are registered to vote in Arizona. Her
group hopes to register an additional 88,000 this year, including about 20,000
in the Tucson area and 20,000 in Mesa in a joint program with Mesa LULAC.
But getting them to vote for a particular candidate will come down to the
candidate's ability to connect with a message that resonates, Lopez said.
