Latino vote in Florida crucial in presidential election

Election 2016

Florida was one of the most contested battleground states in the 2012 U.S. presidential election. And analysts say the Latino vote tipped the balance there in favor of President Barack Obama, both in 2012 and in 2008.

Now the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton wants to make sure history repeats itself, but her Republican opponent Donald Trump is fighting hard to conquer the Sunshine State.

CCTV’s Nitza Soledad Perez reports.

It’s down to a matter of days now until the United States elects a new president and the biggest prize among the battleground states is Florida.

Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has made multiple visits to the state. So has Republican Donald Trump.

Florida has 29 electoral votes, a hefty number each candidate would like to add, in their quest to get all 270 electoral votes needed to win. National polls show Clinton leading the race.

Neither candidate is taking anything for granted. One new poll shows Trump with a two-point lead in Florida, but others have shown Clinton ahead. It may be a toss-up.

The big question is: Could Trump pull out a victory here in Florida? Well, that could become a reality if the Latino and black voter turnout is lower than in previous elections.

Voter registration is up among Latino voters. While Trump alienated this group with his anti-immigration stance, Clinton is showing them her best moves…
Recent polling of Florida’s Latino voters shows Clinton beating Trump by a historic 30 point margin.

Trump is relying on older and conservative voters to come out for him, and he appears to be edging out Clinton among independents.

As it stands, forecasting Florida’s results, is a little like trying to predict the state’s notoriously capricious weather.