Miami’s Not Just For Cuban Voters Anymore

From our Florida correspondent, Kirk Nielsen:

After Tuesday’s Florida primary, students of Latino electoral politics will want to know how each Republican candidate fared among Cuban-American voters. But how non-Cuban Hispanics cast their ballots could also be significant, especially if there’s a close finish, which has been known to happen in Florida.

“It is essential for candidates campaigning in Florida to demonstrate that they have a thorough understanding of Cuba-related issues, without pandering to the Cuban-American community,” says Carlos Curbelo, a Miami-based political strategist once on Fred Thompson’s payroll and now volunteering for John McCain.

But what about demonstrating savvy on issues of importance to the increasing numbers of non-Cuban Latinos in Florida? U.S. Census data indicates that the Cuban portion of South Florida’s Hispanic population has dropped below 50 percent. According to a study last year by Nielsen Media Research, folks of Cuban origin constitute 45 percent of Spanish-language television viewers in the Miami market.

That means more than half are non-Cuban Hispanics: roughly 14 percent are Puerto Rican, 8 percent Colombian, 6 percent Dominican, 6 percent Nicaraguan, 4 percent Venezuelan, 3 percent Mexican, 3 percent Peruvian, and all other Latinos less numerous. Read more …

Tags: Cuban-American voters