Obama Latino Support Slipping

LOS ANGELES - A tracking poll by impreMedia, a Hispanic news company, today indicated declining support for President Obama and the results suggest that the President and Democratic Party may face a continuing political problem in retaining Hispanic support.

The survey was conducted between late July and early August, and compared results with a poll taken in February and June with the same series of questions.

Thirty-nine percent of Latino voters said they were certain to vote for President Obama in the upcoming elections, compared to 43% in February, and 49% when asked shortly after the capture of Osama Bin Laden and alongside the President’s speech on immigration reform in June.

The majority of respondents also indicated they were looking forward to voting in the upcoming elections, with 50% saying they were “enthusiastic” and 26% saying “somewhat enthusiastic.”

“The Democrats and President Obama should be concerned,” said Hilda Garcia, VP of Multiplatform News and Information from impreMedia. “The changes in approval ratings for The President may not mean much this far from the election but it is a potential signal that President Obama is losing ground among the Hispanic electorate. The 2008 election was solid proof of the importance of the Latino vote, a demographic that will be important again in 2012 for gaining the super majority and winning key states.”

The poll indicated that Republican approval has stayed somewhat steady albeit at very low levels overall. The most recent poll shows 10% of Latino voters say that they will certainly vote Republican and another 6% say they are undecided but leaning towards Republican.

The current release focused on the political climate fifteen months away from the presidential election and is part of an ongoing tracking poll conducted by impreMedia and Latino Decisions. The poll is conducted with a sample of 500 registered Latino voters.

A excerpt of the poll results is below:

Generally speaking, what are the most important issues facing the Latino community that you think Congress and the President should address?
o Immigration Reform/Dream Act: 37% (42% U.S. born/32% foreign born)
o Create Jobs/Unemployment: 25% (23% U.S. born/27% foreign born)
o Education Reform/Schools: 20% (20% U.S. born/20% foreign born)

Do you approve/disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as President?
o Strongly Approve: 28% (27% U.S. born/29% foreign born)
o Somewhat Approve: 35% (37% U.S. born/33% foreign born)
o Somewhat Disapprove: 11% (13% U.S. born/9% foreign born)
o Strongly Disapprove: 20% (15% U.S. born/24% foreign born)

Do you approve/disapprove of the job Congress is doing?
o Strongly Approve: 5% (7% U.S. born/4% foreign born)
o Somewhat Approve: 27% (28% U.S. born/25% foreign born)
o Somewhat Disapprove: 20% (22% U.S. born/18% foreign born)
o Strongly Disapprove: 41% (34% U.S. born/47% foreign born)

Thinking ahead to the November 2012 Presidential election, would you say you are more likely to vote for Democrat Barack Obama, or for the Republican challenger?
o Certain to vote for Obama: 38% (37% U.S. born/40% foreign born)
o Vote for Obama but could change mind: 16% (15% U.S. born/16% foreign born)
o Undecided but leaning towards Obama: 8% (10% U.S. born/6% foreign born)
o Undecided: 11% (13% U.S. born/9% foreign born)
o Undecided but leaning towards Republican: 6% (7% U.S. born/4% foreign born)
o Vote Republican but could change mind: 9% (7% U.S. born/10% foreign born)
o Certain to vote Republican: 10% (9% U.S. born/11% foreign born)

Combined Presidential vote from Q4 above?
o Combined vote for Obama: 62% (62% U.S. born/61% foreign born)
o Undecided: 14% (15% U.S. born/13% foreign born)
o Combined vote for Republican: 25% (23% U.S. born/26% foreign born)

Would you say the Democratic party is currently doing a good job of reaching out to Hispanics, that they don’t care too much about Hispanics, or they are being hostile towards Hispanics?
o Good Job: 43% (42% U.S. born/44% foreign born)
o Don’t care too much: 37% (34% U.S. born/39% foreign born)
o Being Hostile: 11% (14% U.S. born/8% foreign born)
o Don’t know: 7% (7% U.S. born/7% foreign born)
o Refused: 2% (3% U.S. born/2% foreign born)

Would you say the Republican party is currently doing a good job of reaching out to Hispanics, that they don’t care too much about Hispanics, or they are being hostile towards Hispanics?
o Good Job: 18% (18% U.S. born/18% foreign born)
o Don’t care too much: 45% (46% U.S. born/42% foreign born)
o Being Hostile: 27% (25% U.S. born/29% foreign born)
o Don’t know: 7% (6% U.S. born/9% foreign born)
o Refused: 3% (5% U.S. born/2% foreign born)

Thinking ahead to the November 2012 presidential election, how enthusiastic are you about voting in the election next year?
o Very enthusiastic: 50% (45% U.S. born/56% foreign born)
o Somewhat enthusiastic: 26% (27% U.S. born/25% foreign born)
o Not too enthusiastic: 14% (18% U.S. born/11% foreign born)
o Not at all enthusiastic: 7% (8% U.S. born/7% foreign born)
o Don’t know: 1% (1% U.S. born/1% foreign born)
o Refused: 1% (1% U.S. born/0% foreign born)