(CNN) – The latest national survey of likely Latino voters shows President Barack Obama retaining a big lead over rival Mitt Romney in the key voting demographic, matching the level of support he received from Latinos in 2008.
The poll also showed a majority of Latinos said the economy was a more important issue than immigration, and indicated enthusiasm among Latinos is lower than it is among non-Latino whites.
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Obama enjoys the backing of 70% of likely Latino voters, according to the CNN/ORC International survey, slightly higher than the 67% of Latinos who voted for him in 2008. Republican nominee John McCain garnered 31% of the 2008 Latino vote. In 2004, 53% of Latinos went for the Democratic nominee John Kerry over the 44% who went for President George W. Bush, according to national exit polls.
In Tuesday's poll, Romney wins support from 26% of Latino voters questioned.
Obama's approval rating has improved markedly among Latinos since 2010, the poll indicated. He stood at 57% approval two years ago, and was at 68% in Tuesday's poll. Twenty-eight percent of Latinos disapproved of the job Obama is doing as president, compared to 41% who disapproved in 2010.
When asked to rate their enthusiasm for voting on Election Day, 24% of Latinos said they were extremely enthusiastic, compared to 25% who said very enthusiastic, 24% who said somewhat enthusiastic, and 14% who said they were not enthusiastic.
Those numbers are lower than the enthusiasm figures for non-white Latinos, as measured in a CNN/ORC poll taken at the end of September. In that survey, 41% of non-Latino whites said they were extremely enthusiastic about voting in November.
A Pew Hispanic Center report released Monday predicted getting eligible Latino voters to the polls in November would provide the campaigns with a challenge. The report indicated a record 23.7 million Latinos are eligible to vote November 6, but that the turnout rate for the group in 2008 – 50% - was lower than that of black voters (65%) and white voters (66%).
In Tuesday's CNN/ORC survey, 44% of Latino adults rated the economy as their top issue, while immigration policy came in a distant second at 14%. Asked to choose between the economy and immigration, nearly three quarters of Latinos – 74% - said the economy was more important. Twenty-three percent said immigration.
Broken down by topic, 50% of Latinos said unemployment was the top economic issue facing the country. Nineteen percent named the federal deficit, and 15% said gas prices.
Large majorities of Latinos named Obama as the candidate who would better handle the issues they rate as most important – 68% said the president would better handle the economy generally, and 69% said Obama would better handle unemployment.
On immigration policy, Obama's lead was even greater: 74% said the president would better handle the hot button issue, compared to 20% who named Romney.
The CNN poll was conducted by ORC International with telephone interviews of 601 adult Latinos, in English and Spanish, between September 25 and October 1. The sampling error was plus or minus 5.5 percentage points for likely voters, and 4 percentage points for all Latino adults.
CNN's Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
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Now you know why Obama does everything he can to encourage illegal immigration. The last laugh will be on the Democratic party when they're taken over by the largely Catholic Latino community.
so for the only voting fraud is on the Republican side. but I can see why they want to cheat because so many people voted for Obama they want to even the playing field. LoL
To all you haters: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CANNOT VOTE!!.
We don't need a bunch of illegals trying to vote illegally anyway! Americans should vote in US elections!
"And with no voter ID laws, thousands, maybe more, of illegal aliens will be going to the polls to vote thanks to the Democrats. It is how elections get stolen and your legal vote gets torn up and thrown away."
Better than Romney stealing the election with voter suppression.
For the people that think illegal immigrants would risk anything and go vote..wow you are really smart or a FOXNEWS dummy.. I should know as an immigrant....We wont mess our future up for a avote now... when we can get many votes later...
International means outside the US. What do American Latinos have to do with an international poll? I think you mean national poll.. ALSO no proof of identification = illegal immigrants can vote. No wonder u wont kick them out of the US Obama!
I have some questions concerning this 'Latino' poll. I wondered if the pollsters actually asked the people they were calling,
if they were ETHICNALY hispanic, or did they just go by the last name? I happen to be a 'Gringa", a white woman married to a Latino. I live in So. Calif.,were there are thousands like me, indeed, this is a growing trend. If the polsters called mainly during the day, they would naturally speak to more woman then men. These women, (myself included) may lean left anyway, due to their more tolerant nature. However their Caucasian liberal vote would not be counted.
70% of Latinos are going to be bitterly disappointed while 26% will be saying "I told you so." Now if Romney gets elected, 26% of Latinos will be bitterly disappointed and 70% will get to say "I told you so". Just saying.
and 99.9999% amongst illegals!
stuff your se se puede – speak English you bunch of illiterate mo r 90ns
If this is true, then Latinos, on average, are smarter than the rest of the population.
After all, WAY more than half the people in the country are stupid; however, it's only 30% of Latinos.
Based on 328 Latino voters. Yeah. Official.
Yes, the Republicans will say Obama's victory is due to illegal votes. Why?
Because it is easier to accept Latinos have their personal concerns and the GOP has been demonizing them for 4 years now. NC has more registered Latino voters than in 2008 and let me tell you, they will control other swing states as well.
It has been said before; Obama's followers are those who are government dependent and the fringe, i.e., Latino, Gay, Pro-Choice (Murderers) and every increasing population of downright stupid people. Neither Obama or Romney will change the path the Nation is on; it is a Capitalist government paid for in full by big business. Obama has his on thoughts on how to reduce the effectiveness of the United States and a second term will insure his success. He is the destroyer of a once great country that had began to fall apart long before he came to office; he just puts the last nail in the coffin. The stupidity of the people of this nation is crippling.
Based on 328 Latino voters. Yeah. Real official.
Maybe it because of his illegal immigrant amnesty bill?
So he bought vote at the expense of the working class American people....
And the people of the United States just let him........
It's just common sence that the latinos would vote for the canadate that doesn't write off 47% of the voters . Who knows what else he said behind closed doors ?????
Listen up right wing morons. Even Republicans have said that there are no iincidents where they could show that voter fraud has happened. Of course now we know that Republicans have been committing voter fraud in Florida. So cut out the nonsense that the election is going to be stolen by dead people or zombie Democrats who vote whlie eating Republicans quivering livers. It just aint going to happen and has not ever happened.
Minorities (especially black people)
With Romney as President, leave your rights in your head. Because they will only be a dream. And the revised JIm Crow laws will make certain of that.
Women
With Romney as President get used to big government spying into your uterus
Hispanics
With Romney as President be ready to show your papers. Because this Country will be a police state and you will be the target.
White men
With Romney as President be ready to raise another man’s baby, possibly by a black man.If your wife, daughter or loved one gets raped and becomes pregnant, by law she will be forced to have the baby.
Girls
With Romney as President you'd better make peace with God. Because some of you will die giving birth. Because your bodies will not be mature enough to carry a baby to term.
How does it feel Dems that you have a huge latino support because you Dems are soft on illegal immigration and big on giving out government aid. Latinos who believe in self reliance, small government, personal responsibility and rule of law are the other 30%.
I'm shocked that it's not 100% of everyone voting for Obama. I guess some people just don't get it.
Yes, I agree with bryes, CNN and the media want us all to believe the election is over and want countless voters not to be a voice and vote. Everyone NEEDS to vote this election. That is a shame because I do not believe these polls...and I am a Mexican American woman who is supporting Romeny all the way. And the ID laws should have been enforced years ago, wow. NoObama
Interesting numbers. Ironic how Obama has deported more illegal immigrants than any other president. Yet many latinos will vote for him. Talk about uneducated. The again, ask yourself this: What diffrence has there been between how things are in the USA today and how they were 4 years ago? Different president, same old problems with no resolution.
Truthhurts, in person voter fraud is so rare as to be non-existant in any practical sense.
You are lying, pure and simple