People For the American Way

PFAW Campaign Helps Bring Home Latino Support for Obama

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 7, 2012

Contact: Miranda Blue or Drew Courtney at People For the American Way

Email: [email protected]

Phone Number: 202-467-4999

People For the American Way, which yesterday concluded a $1.5 million campaign to reach Latino voters in key swing states, today applauded the decisive support the Latino community gave President Obama.

“Last night proved in politics what most of us already know: we live in a new, more diverse country where no candidate can afford to demonize Latinos in order to win Republican primaries,” said Michael Keegan, President of People For the American Way. “The GOP’s decision to once again attack and marginalize Latinos and immigrants might have helped to whip its base into a fury, but in a national election it was a profoundly misguided strategy.”

As part of its campaign, People For the American Way used direct mail and television, radio and internet ads to reach voters in Nevada, Colorado, Virginia, Wisconsin, Ohio and North Carolina with Mitt Romney’s own statements about Latinos, immigrants and the 47%.

“It’s clear that the Latino vote made the difference last night,” said Keegan. “According to exit polling, not only did Latinos’ share of the electorate increase, Latinos significantly shifted their support towards Obama. Whereas President Obama won Latinos by 36% in 2008, he won their votes by 44% last night. I’m proud of the role that PFAW played in calling the GOP on its divisive positions and rhetoric . Moving forward, the Republican party has a clear choice: to radically rethink its anti-Latino, anti-immigrant agenda, or to move one step closer to electoral oblivion. For the sake of the country, I encourage them to choose wisely.”

You can see samples of PFAW’s work below.

 

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